New Delhi [India], March 24 : Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday reaffirmed his support for a caste census and reservation for backward and Dalit communities while clarifying that reservations are not granted based on religion.
He also stressed the need to extend reservations to those who have been historically marginalized and left behind in society.
Speaking to the media Akhilesh Yadav said, " We are in favour of caste census, and the backward and Dalit people should get reservation. Also, those who are left behind in the society should get reservation. The fight for caste census is long, that is why the census is not being done because when it will happen, all the questions will come to the fore.
When asked whether there should be reservations for Muslims he said, "You all know that there is no reservation based on religion"
Yadav's remarks come amid ongoing political discussions on social justice and affirmative action.
Earlier, Samajwadi Party MP Ram Gopal Yadav had made a similar statement, asserting that a caste census would reveal the real socio-economic situation in the country.
"If caste census is done, the real situation will come out. Currently, only a few people are taking all the benefits," Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters.
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has also called for a caste census, recalling Dr. B.R. Ambedkar's historic Mahad Satyagraha. He discussed the ongoing struggles of Dalits for equal access to governance, education, and resources with Professor Sukhadeo Thorat, a Telangana caste survey panel member.
The Congress leader underlined that Ambedkar's fight against caste-based discrimination remains unfinished and must continue with full force.
"Caste census is an important step towards bringing out the truth of this inequality, while its opponents do not want to let this truth come out. Babasaheb's dream is still incomplete. His fight is not just about the past, it is also about today - we will fight it with all our might," Rahul Gandhi said.