Mayawati demands caste census in UP 'without delay'

Lucknow, Oct 3 (IANS) Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, on Tuesday, demanded that the Uttar Pradesh government should start conducting the caste survey without delay.

She said that though some parties are against it, this is the only way to ensure justice for the OBCs.

"The news of the caste census data conducted by the Bihar government is in the news today and intense discussions are going on. Some parties are definitely uncomfortable with this, but for BSP this is the first step in the long struggle for the constitutional rights of OBCs," Mayawati said in her post on X.

She said BSP is happy that the country's politics is taking a new turn in favour of the neglected 'Bahujan Samaj', as a consequence of which even the most extreme "anti-caste" and "anti-Mandal" sects have become worried for their future.

The BSP leader said although the Uttar Pradesh government should now start a caste census or survey immediately, keeping in line with sentiment of the public, "the right solution will be found only when the Central government conducts the caste census at the national level and gives them their due rights."

The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar had on October 2 released findings of its much-awaited caste survey months ahead of the 2024 Parliamentary elections, which revealed that OBCs and EBCs constitute 63 per cent of the state's total population.

According to the data, Bihar's total population stood at a little over 13.07 crore, out of which the Extremely Backward Classes at 36 per cent were the largest social segment followed by the Other Backward Classes at 27.13 per cent.