Patna HC verdict on caste census will pave way for social and economic justice: Kamal Nath

Terming the Patna High Court’s decision on caste-based census in Bihar as paving the way for "social and economic justice" for deprived people, Congress' Madhya Pradesh chief Kamal Nath on Thursday hit out at the ruling BJP accusing it of conspiring to stop the "caste survey" by engaging in legal arguments.

The former Chief Minister, who supported the voices raised for caste-based census and has in fact announced the same in Madhya Pradesh if his party wins the Assembly elections slated for later this year, said: "When the people standing at the last line of the society will stand together for their rights, then these domineering people cannot stand anywhere in front of this enumeration to ensure social justice."

He claimed the caste-based census will open the way for proportional share of rights of all and the direction of democracy will really move from bottom-to-top. He alleged that the BJP’s feudal thinking has been "of inequality and oppression" and that is why it is against the caste census "to kill the rights of the poor and weak".

"People will ostracise the BJP which is stopping the caste census in the next elections in such a way that neither their leaders nor their candidates will be visible on the day of counting of votes," he claimed.

Addressing a mega convention of other-backward-class (OBC) on July 24, Kamal Nath had announced that the caste-based census would be conducted if Congress formed a government in the state. He had then alleged that the BJP-led state government did not conduct caste-based census as its motives would be exposed.

Senior advocate and party Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha, had, on that occasion, had said that former Chief Ministers Babulal Gaur, Uma Bharti and other BJP leaders did not present the case properly in the court.