Akhilesh Yadav's 'betrayal' jab at Rahul Gandhi's remark on caste census

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi after the latter’s “X-ray" remark over the caste census demand, in yet another indication of the widening rift between the two INDIA opposition bloc members.

Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi's comment that the caste census would be like an "X-ray" that would give details of various communities in the country, Akhilesh Yadav sarcastically asked, "Why X-ray when there is availability of new technology like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computed tomography) scan?"

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister questioned why the Congress did not conduct caste census when it was in power. He claimed the grand old party was now batting for a nationwide caste-based survey to woo voters from the lower rungs of society before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“Those who are talking about X-rays are the same people who stopped the caste census after Independence... When all the parties in the Lok Sabha were demanding a caste census, they did not conduct a caste census. Why do they want to do so today? Because they know that their traditional vote bank is not with them,” Yadav said at a public meeting in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna on Monday.

“All the backward classes, Dalits, and adivasis know that they [Congress] betrayed them after Independence. That’s why this time, they will lose out,” he jibed.

The SP president asserted that a caste census can be completed in three months due to the availability of the Aadhaar card mechanism.

"The castes can be counted in three months. All the data is available. All have Aadhaar cards. Why will it take time?" he asked.

Akhilesh Yadav has been taking potshots at one-time ally Congress following a dispute over seat-sharing in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh. Last week, he claimed the Congress does not want to ally with the Samajwadi Party and renewed calls for a third front called ‘PDA’ focused on Dalits and backward classes.