Chhagan Bhujbal, Ramdas Athawale welcome caste-based census

Prominent backward community leaders from Maharashtra, including deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal today welcomed the government move for considering first caste based data in a census after 1931.

"We welcome prime minister's assurance of including OBCs in census and also thank senior leaders for the same," Bhujbal said here.

"It will now be possible to ascertain exact figures of OBCs in the country," he said.

RPI leader Ramdas Athawale said he was grateful to the prime minister and the UPA government for the decision to have a caste based census.

"When I was an MP, I had made the demand twice in Lok Sabha," Athawale said.