Not against caste census but we don’t want conflict within OBCs over inaccurate data: Fadnavis

Fadnavis was speaking at the conclusion of the BJP’s OBC Jagar Yatra at Poharadevi in Washim district. The yatra, meant to raise awareness about the OBC welfare schemes undertaken by the Centre and the state, started from Wardha on October 2 and covered all the eleven districts in the Vidarbha region.

With growing demands for a caste survey from political parties as well as OBC leaders within the BJP, Fadnavis said, “We are not against a caste census. But there has to be a methodology that will provide accurate data. In its absence there will be chaos. We don’t want communities within the OBCs to fight each other,” he said.

“After the survey report came out, Kurmis and Kushwahas are saying their populations have been shown as smaller in the survey. Several communities are questioning the survey results,” Fadnavis said, referring to the Bihar caste survey.

Fadnavis also said that OBCs are the BJP’s DNA. “They have been the mainstay of the BJP’s politics. OBC empowerment is high on the agenda of both the central and state governments,” he added.

“The Narendra Modi government’s initiatives to empower the OBCs have no parallel in the country. No other government did what Modi has done for the OBCs” he said, adding that the Congress had double standards. “The Congress talks about jiski jitni abadi, uski utni bhagedari, then my question is, why are there so many PMs from one family? Will they declare the next PM will be an OBC? When it comes to votes, they raise the OBC slogan. But when it comes to the highest seat of power, they turn to just one family,” he said.