Tripura BJP hails PM Modi’s caste-based census move 'historic' for social justice

The president of Tripura's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Rajib Bhattacharjee, on May 2, extended gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for initiating a caste-based census aimed at identifying and supporting the weaker sections of society.

The Union cabinet on April 30 approved a proposal for undertaking a caste census for which Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has been pressing for four years.

"We thanked the Prime Minister for the announcement to conduct the caste census across the nation to identify the weaker section of the people. This is a historic move by the BJP-led NDA government," he said during a press conference.

Attacking the Congress for failing to carry out the caste census, Bhattacharjee said then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared to undertake the caste census in Lok Sabha in 2010 but he could not.

"Following pressure from all the opposition parties, Singh had promised to undertake a survey on caste but the report of it could not be published yet due to errors. We believe the outcome of the caste census will identify the weaker section of people apart from ST and SC and take measures for their welfare," he said.

Asserting that the BJP believes in 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas', Bhattacharjee said the Modi government has been working relentlessly for the weaker section of people by introducing 10 per cent reservation for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS).

On the Congress rejoicing after the announcement of the caste census, he said the Congress has been trying to use the caste census as a political tool while the BJP wants to serve the weaker section to achieve 'viksit Bharat' by 2047.

Meanwhile, hundreds of the state Youth Congress leaders and workers celebrated the BJP-led NDA government's decision to undertake the caste census here on Thursday night.

"It is the victory of LoP Rahul Gandhi who has been strongly batting for caste census for the past four years. The BJP, which had been opposing the demand, has finally buckled and accepted Rahul ji's demand," Nilkamal Saha, a senior Youth Congress leader said.