Politics

Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], June 4 (ANI): After the Bihar Cabinet approved the proposal for the caste-based census in the state, the Maharashtra Congress on Friday demanded the same to be done in Maharashtra.

"BJP does not want to do a caste-based census because they do politics on the basis of religion. The role of Congress is clear. There should be a caste-based census as this will help in resolving several issues, said Patole.

Earlier on Thursday, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra demanded conducting of caste-based Census in the state to ascertain the social status of different communities.

Patil said he would appeal to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the issue.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday held a party meeting where he asked his party ministers to push the state government on holding a caste-based census in the state.

This came after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government gave approval to a caste-based census on Thursday. The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Kumar on Thursday wherein leaders of all nine political parties were present in the meeting and gave some important suggestions to the Chief Minister.

The Bihar government has allocated a budget of Rs 500 crore for the survey. The exercise will be completed by February next year. At the state level, the survey will be carried out by the General Administration Department, and on the district level, District Magistrate will be the nodal officer. Both of these will be incharge of the panchayat level and block level.

Several parties including BJP's ally Janata Dal-United have been demanding a caste-based census in the country. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said that a caste-based census would enable the government to work for the development of various sections of the society.

Earlier, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai had said that the Government of India has decided as a matter of policy "not to enumerate caste-wise populations other than SCs and STs in the census". (ANI)