AAP too wants caste census; attacks Ajay Maken over his remarks

NEW DELHI: The AAP joined the growing list of parties that want a caste census in India. Speaking to the media persons on Monday, the AAP’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, “There should be a caste census. All opposition parties are asking for it. Tejashwi Yadav and Nitish Kumar are asking for it in Bihar, Stalin is raising the same in Tamil Nadu.”

Singh also attacked the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak (RSS), the parent organisation of BJP. “Why are they (BJP) running from it? This is the same party, whose parent organization – RSS did not appoint a single Dalit or backward class person as their leader,” added Singh.

He further added that if a party whose parent organisation did not allow entry to Dalit people then how will they vouch for the caste census? Singh may not be factually correct. Former BJP president, Bangaru Laxman was from the Munnuru Kapu caste, an OBC in Telangana. Laxman was the national president of BJP OBC Morcha since September 2020.

He was a member of the BJP and the RSS. Singh also reacted to Congress leader Ajay Maken’s comment that “Kejriwal and his associates who face serious corruption charges should not be shown any sympathy or support.”

“On one side, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge gave support to Kejriwal, while on the other side, Ajay Maken is giving such a statement. Is Congress confused or playing a game?” asked  Singh.

He also levelled allegations against Maken saying that Maken should tell what is the nexus between him and BJP?

“If their party president is extending support to Kejriwal and Maken is making statements against AAP then he must have some nexus with BJP,” Singh added. Several opposition parties raised the pitch for a caste-based census in the country and gave reservations according to the population of ST, SC and OBC communities.