SP MLAs seek caste-based census; disrupt UP Assembly

Lucknow, Feb 26 (IANS) Samajwadi Party MLAs on Wednesday disrupted proceedings in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly over their demand for a caste-based census.The SP members demonstrated in the well of the House raising slogans and the question hour was disrupted for about 50 minutes.As soon as the house assembled, Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary raised the demand for caste-based census.He said that Other Backward Castes (OBC) were being denied their rights and hence the fresh census to start from April should also include caste census. He alleged that the column for OBCs had been removed from the census form.Chaudhary said the BJP state government was denying the rights of the OBCs and claiming themselves as the champion of the OBCs.When Speaker Hriday Narain Dikshit refused to allow them to speak, the SP members created noisy scenes and raised slogans against the government.UP Parliamentary Affairs Minister Suresh Kumar Khanna said neither the state government nor the Assembly has the power to order a caste-based census.He alleged that the SP members were in no mood to work hence they were trying to raise such an issue, which has no relevance in the state. "We have full respect for the OBCs and always fought for their cause," he said.The Speaker also said that the Assembly has no power to order a caste-based census.
--IANS amita/kr