Akhilesh Yadav, president of the Samajwadi Party, asked PM Narendra Modi and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath about a proposed caste survey.
While in Noida, the former chief minister addressed the matter a day after Samajwadi Party MLAs interrupted assembly proceedings when the Uttar Pradesh government denied their request to undertake a caste census in the state along the lines of Bihar.
The Yogi Adityanath administration had responded negatively to the demand from the opposition, saying that it was the responsibility of the central government to conduct the census.
"The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a very smart party. The BJP is putting forward its leaders to whom it has given nothing. What is the response of the prime minister and the chief minister (of UP) on caste survey, that is the major question. It is not a question which can be responded to by small leaders, it is about policy," Yadav said.
He noted that various Indian political heavyweights, including Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Yadav, Laloo Prasad Yadav, and others, had contacted the Congress for a caste survey while the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was in power at the Centre.
"It is a different matter that the Congress had first denied the demand. It had agreed to the demand later, but not made the statistics public," Yadav said.
The leader of the Samajwadi Party said that those who oppose the party's policies of "outsourcing and privatisation" are also opposed to the caste census.
Continuing his pitch, he said that a large number of educated individuals from all walks of life have spoken out in favour of conducting a caste census, and that without such a study, it would be impossible to make laws, implement plans, launch projects, or provide public amenities.
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"If the BJP truly believes in its 'Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas' slogan, it will have to assure all communities that they will be connected with all schemes," he said.
The former CM has said that a caste survey should be undertaken alongside the next census, and that his party has pledged to do it whenever it gets the opportunity.
The problem of inflation was another target for Yadav's attacks on the BJP-led state administration.
Yadav said the Samajwadi Party (SP) played an important role in Noida's initial development.
(With inputs from PTI)
