‘Caste census’ a ‘jumla’ before Bihar poll: AAP

Lucknow: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh criticised the BJP for the Centre's decision to hold a caste census, calling it a ‘jumla' before the Bihar elections.
Singh alleged that the BJP systematically ended reservation in govt jobs by outsourcing jobs. He said that taking this decision now was an attempt to divert attention from Pahalgam tragedy. "Opposition is welcoming the decision. But it is not yet clear why the BJP took a U-turn on the issue," he added.
Insisting that the announcement was nothing more than an election gimmick aimed at the Bihar assembly polls, the MP asked if govt had set a deadline for the census, adding that like several other issues, including women's reservation, this, too, would not be implemented in the absence of a timeline. Besides, govt had not yet announced a budget for the caste census, he added.
"What is the roadmap for reservations? If caste-based data is collected, what steps will the BJP take? Will reservations be increased? The court has already restricted reservations above 50% in states like Tamil Nadu," he said.
He then went on to quote data on the representation of SCs, STs and OBCs in Central govt jobs and in the judiciary, claiming that their numbers were minuscule compared to general category candidates. Singh accused the BJP govt of not only selling public enterprises but also jeopardising the future of SC/ST and OBC communities by outsourcing jobs of clerks, drivers and sanitation workers, since there is no compulsion for private firms to have reservation.