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Updated September 22nd, 2021 at 21:28 IST

Lalu Prasad Yadav bats for fresh caste-census, quips '50% cap on quota should be breached'

Lalu Prasad Yadav stressed that the caste-census is pivotal since the quotas of SCs, STs have been decided based on the population estimates during Independence

Reported by: Aakansha Tandon
Lalu Prasad Yadav
PTI | Image:self
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Reiterating his demand for the conduct of a caste-based census, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday strengthened his call and said that more than 50% reservations should be accorded to the backward classes if their population was found to be more than the total of half of the population. 

Lalu Yadav's remarks came while he was addressing his party workers virtually. While addressing the workers, the tall leader who rose in politics during the Mandal Commission churning in the 1990s said, “I was the first one to raise the demand for a caste census. I had made the demand on the floor of the Parliament. My demand is for the welfare of all, SCs and STs included. Quotas have been decided to take into account a census conducted before Independence. We must have a fresh estimate of the population of different social segments”.

'50% cap should be broken if required': Lalu Prasad Yadav

The multi-term former MP and Railway Minister stressed the need for the caste-based census as pivotal since the quotas had been decided based on population estimates during Independence, i.e 7 decades ago. He further reiterated that the current Quotas are insufficient and don't serve the purpose, since they are rarely filled. He demanded that the 50% reservation quota cap, that was placed by the apex court in a judgement, should be broken if required. 

“The existing quotas have been insufficient. And even these are rarely filled, resulting in huge backlogs. Let there be a fresh caste census and all get quotas in proportion to their population. If it needs breaking of the 50 per cent barrier, so be it,” said Prasad as reported by PTI.

Prasad, who is getting treatment for his ailing health after spending several days behind the bars, after being convicted in the fodder scam, has batted strongly for the demands of the RJ, including the caste-census demand. Earlier, on the same RJD’s leader of the opposition in the Bihar assembly and Lalu’s heir Tejashwi Yadav, approached the centre to discuss the conduct of caste-based census to enumerate the population of different communities in the country, to make policies for them, based on the insights acquired from the census. 

Caste-based census: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav meet PM Modi

On August 23, a delegation of leaders from ten political parties, including Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Bihar Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand a caste-based census.  On this, CM Nitish Kumar said, "Recently a minister from the central government stated that the caste-based census will not be conducted. This made us anxious. Following this, all parties in Bihar including the Opposition met on the issue. It was then proposed to meet the Prime Minister on the issue.” On the other hand, Tejashwi Yadav said, "We are awaiting the centre’s
decision on this now." 

(With PTI Inputs)

(Image: PTI)

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Published September 22nd, 2021 at 21:28 IST

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