Battle hots up over caste census in UP as Akhilesh Yadav launches scathing attack on CM Yogi Adityanath

Mounting pressure for caste census in Uttar Pradesh the Samajwadi Party has announced to launch statewide campaign for it. On Thursday the proceedings in UP assembly was stalled by the legislators of Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal on this issue. SP legislators shouted slogans against state government demanding caste census and staged dharna in the well.

Leader of opposition and SP Chief during his address in the assembly on Thursday attacked the UP Government and said that the slogan of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' has no meaning without caste census.

Earlier during the question hour on Thursday SP legislator Sangram Singh asked a question regarding caste census whether the state government is planning for it. In reply cabinet minister Surya Pratap Shahi said that the matter belonged to the union government and UP has nothing to do with it.

When reminded about the caste census going on in Bihar, Shahi said `We do not want to follow Bihar infamous for fodder scam. Agitated over this reply the SP legislators started creating ruckus and shouted slogans. Led by national general secretary Shivpal Yadav the SP legislators staged dharna in the well. Seeing the situation out of control the speaker adjourned the house for some time.

Akhilesh questions UP govt

Later on during the discussion on the Governor's address, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav raised the issue of caste census and said that everyone among the opposition wants it but the government is not paying any attention to this demand.

Raising the question over the slogan of 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas', he said, "How is this possible without knowing how much we are?". SP Chief said that even the parties like Nishad Party and Apna Dal, supporting this government, want caste census. He asked that if Bihar can do this, why not UP. Akhilesh said that this demand was raised earlier in the parliament and then congress government had promised for it but they did not. He said that many political parties in this country are in favour of this exercise.

Meanwhile the Samajwadi Party has decided to launch statewide campaign for the caste census from Friday. Legislative council member and chairman of backward cell in SP, Rajpal Kashyap informed that the campaign would continue till March 5. The party would organize discussion and debate on this issue at block level across the state.