Express News Service
MUMBAI: After Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday demanded a caste-based census to ascertain the exact population percentage of each caste, including the Other Backward Class (OBC) community.
At a meet in Mumbai, the NCP passed a resolution that caste-based census should be carried out by the Centre. In the meeting, it was also decided that the local body elections should not be held without OBC reservations. “Maha Vikas Aghadi is committed to resolve the OBC reservations issue. It is not limited only to Maharashtra, but matters across India,” Pawar said.
He added that it is the constitutional right of the OBC community to get the reservation, but the central government is depriving them of their rights. “The Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, after getting the reservation, progressed socially and economically. The same benefits should be given to the OBC,” he said, adding that the BJP is against the reservations to the OBC.
“BJP was in power in the state and Centre in the last five years.What did they do for OBC reservations? Social reformer Shahu Maharaj, Mahatma Phule, Dr BR Ambedkar, etc worked to give justice to the oppressed classes. When Shahu Maharaj gave reservations to the backward classes, many opposed it, but he did not listen to them. We are facing the same problem today,” Pawar said.
He pointed out that though Nitish has formed the government with the help of the BJP, he is still demanding caste-based census. NCP minister and OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal said, “the prime minister calls himself OBC, but his government has refused to give data on the issue.”
