The third meeting of the INDIA bloc has seen the first big difference between the ideologies of all the political parties comprising the alliance since they came together in June to challenge the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
As per NDTV, after a disagreement over the inclusion of caste census, the political resolution was dropped though election resolution was adopted in Mumbai.
The caste census demand was initiated by Janata Dal (United), Samajwadi Party, and Rashtriya Janata Dal while TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee was against it.
The second meeting of the INDIA bloc in July called for the implementation of the caste census. “We have come together to defeat the hatred and violence being manufactured against minorities; stop the rising crimes against women, Dalits, adivasis and Kashmiri Pandits; demand a fair hearing for all socially, educationally and economically backward communities; and, as a first step, implement the Caste Census,” the parties had said in their resolution passed “in one voice”.
Caste-based census is being held by the Bihar Government, pushed by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, was upheld by the Patna High Court last month.
Several petitions challenging the government’s decision to conduct the caste-based survey and socio-economic survey were rejected by the high court. Centre submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court saying that no other body is entitled to conduct the exercise of either Census or any action akin to it”. As per Nitish Kumar, the decision to conduct the caste-based survey was taken unanimously by all the political leaders including state BJP members.
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