Former CM Ashok Chavan Accuses BJP of Opposing Caste-Based Census

On Thursday, the former chief minister of Maharashtra, Ashok Chavan, accused the BJP of resisting a caste-based census, emphasizing that such an initiative could contribute to enhanced social justice. Speaking in Nagpur during a Congress rally, organised on the occasion of its 139th foundation day, Chavan said his party wants a caste-based census in the entire country.

Congress is also of the opinion that the 50 per cent cap on reservation should be lifted. The whole exercise (caste-based census) would help address reservation-related issues in all the states, but the BJP is opposing this move, he said.

Targeting the BJP, Chavan said there have been serious attempts to divert attention from such matters, while some “non-issues” are being turned into issues.

The current dispensation is trying to pit one community against another in the state. Maratha versus OBCs, Dalits versus others, SC versus ST communities among others, he said.

This is a classic way to divert attention from real issues in the state, Chavan said. The Congress leader also claimed that people have learned that the past “ten years were a waste” because of the BJP rule at the Centre.