Centre ‘continuously ignoring’ caste census issue: Jaya Bachchan

PTI, Feb 8, 2024, 8:29 AM IST

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha member and Samajwadi Party leader Jaya Bachchan on Wednesday attacked the BJP government, saying it is violating the rights of the poorest of the poor by “continuously ignoring” the caste census issue.

Demanding the census, she said it is necessary as numbers and figures need to be corrected to extend the benefits of the government schemes.

The government is silent on the issue of caste census, she said during a discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the president’s address in the Rajya Sabha.

“By continuously ignoring this issue, the government is violating the rights and the interests of the poorest of the poor of the society,” Bachchan said and urged that a caste-based census be conducted before the Lok Sabha elections.

She also raised issues of employment and women and youth empowerment, and those related to farmers and the poor.

“The central government can write-off 10.5 lakh crore loans for companies but it will not waive the farm loans. I am sad,” she said.

The MP claimed that 30 people involved in the farming sector committed suicide every day in 2022. “The current farmer suicide data for the year 2023 stands at 328 deaths per day,” she said.

Kartetikeya Sharma, an independent member, lauded the performance of the government in areas such as digital transactions and providing inclusive financial access.

NCP’s Praful Patel of NCP said the government through initiatives such as Swach Bharat Abhiyan provided toilets to poor people, and water to every home through the Jal Jeevan Mission.

K Keshava Rao of BRS and Surender Singh Nagar of BJP also participated in the discussions.