New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) The Jayant Chaudhary-led RLD on Sunday organised a social justice conclave which was attended by leaders of several opposition parties, including the RJD, JD(U) and the TMC, and where the demands for caste census and establishing a social justice commission were raised.
On the 35th death anniversary of former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, a ‘Samajik Nyay Sammelan (social justice conference) was organised at the Vigyan Bhawan where RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary said there will be no equality in the country until the caste census is carried out.
On the subject of the Supreme Court barring reservation over and above 50 per cent, he said, “If there is a problem of figures, then why does the government not get the count done and tell who is how much and who has what?” “Social justice is my legacy and it is my moral responsibility to eliminate economic social inequality by conducting caste census and I will not back down,” he asserted.
RJD leaders Sharad Yadav, Manoj Jha, JD(U) leader K C Tyagi, AAP leader Sanjay Singh, CPI(M) leader Subhashini Ali, TMC leader Sukhendu Shekhar Roy and Apna Dal-K leader Krishna Patel, among others, participated in the conference.
According to a resolution passed at the conclave, a demand was made for a new economic policy focused on job creation rather than wealth creation and one that incentivises agricultural sector and small and medium businesses that have been badly hit following the demonetisation exercise and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Immediate implementation of the caste census to enable targeted affirmative action for those communities that have been left behind,” the resolution said.
The last caste census in India was done in 1931 and all government policies are framed according to the numbers enumerated back then. Therefore, it is imperative for the country to implement a caste census immediately, it said.
The resolution said India must build on institutional capacity to ensure an equitable growth model.
“We demand a Social Justice Commission or an Equal Opportunities Commission to analyse data of the caste census and other public and private sources and recommend affirmative action and policies so that representation for women, SC, ST, backward (classes), minorities or rural-based weaker sections and especially in the private sector is not the exception, but the norm,” the resolution said.
The findings of the caste census should be used to draft a new jobs policy that ensures equitable distribution of opportunities in both the public and private sectors, it said.
The resolution also demanded a regional balance commission to ensure that the fruits of economic progress are harmonised across all regions of India in an equitable manner. PTI ASK SMN SMN
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Source: The Print
