Sharad writes to FM on Census
In a bid to step up pressure on the government, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav has written to finance minister Pranab Mukherjee reminding him of the promises made by him and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on inclusion of caste in the ongoing census process.
Mr Yadav also accused the Congress-led UPA government of dragging its feet on the issue and demanded that the Centre should make its stand clear on the matter without any further delay.
“Political consensus has already been achieved in Parliament. Now the government has to take a decision,” Mr Yadav said, while releasing his letter to Mr Mukherjee to media.
In the letter to Mr Mukherjee who is heading the GoM on the issue of including caste in census, Mr Yadav said, “Political parties have already expressed their opinions in the Lok Sabha and the government is well aware of their opinion. So instead of wasting time, the government must state in clear terms whether it wants to respect the opinion of the Lok Sabha or not,” he said.
Mr Yadav, however, was quick to add that he was also demanding for setting up of a commission “to eradicate caste system” in the society. “Why not set up a commission to eradicate disparity in society,” he said, adding there were no contradictions in this demand and the one on inclusion of caste in census.
Terming the decision to refer the matter to GoM as “unwarranted”, the JD(U) leader said, “First of all it (government) did not take up the issue of caste census during many cabinet meetings. After wasting some weeks, it took up the issue and decided to form a GoM, which was unwarranted.”
He said that the government seemed to be under the influence “conservative elements”, which do not want a just society in India. “By dragging its feet on inclusion of caste in census, the Centre is showing its lack of commitment for a just society because without proper caste data we cannot remove caste disparities and caste system,” he emphasised.
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