BJP ally Union Minister Anupriya Patel demands caste census, quota in private sector class-IV jobs
Lucknow: Apna Dal (S) National President and Union Minister Anupriya Patel has called for a caste-based census, aligning with demands from opposition leaders such as Congress's Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. Speaking at a state executive committee meeting of the party, an ally of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Patel emphasized the need for a caste census to ensure that welfare benefits are accurately distributed.
"Castes are the basis of social structure in India. It is very important to have authentic numbers of various castes so that their share in various welfare schemes can be fixed accordingly," Patel stated. The Apna Dal (S), which represents a significant portion of the OBC community, particularly the Kurmis, has consistently advocated for a caste census.
In addition to the census, Patel also called for implementing reservation policies in class-IV jobs within the private sector. She criticized the lack of reservation in appointments made through outsourcing, describing the system as detrimental to candidates from deprived sections of society.
Patel also addressed the Uttar Pradesh Nazul Property (Management and Use for Public Purposes) Bill-2024, currently under review by a Select Committee. She reiterated her party's stance, deeming the bill "uncalled-for" and expressing concerns that it does not align with public sentiment.
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UP Cong chief Ajay Rai hospitalised after fainting, stable
Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai was hospitalised here after he fell unconscious due to low sodium levels, party leaders said on Saturday.
They said he was admitted to Medanta Hospital on Friday evening and is stable.
"Ajay Rai was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Lucknow at around 6 pm on Friday after he fell unconscious as his sodium levels had dropped. He fell unconscious at his residence in Lucknow. For the entire day, he was engaged in party programmes and had also gone to the airport," Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi told PTI.
Congress in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Avinash Pande told PTI, "Now, he (Ajay Rai) is stable and I am also reaching Lucknow."
Medanta Hospital Director Dr Rakesh Kapoor told PTI that Rai collapsed at his home on Friday evening and was subsequently admitted to the hospital's emergency ward.
Medical examinations revealed that Rai was suffering from a sodium deficiency and elevated blood pressure. Doctors administered immediate treatment and he is doing significantly better now, Kapoor said.
A team of doctors is monitoring his health. Rai is conversing with others and his condition is stable, he added.
In a post on X late Friday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Rai a speedy recovery.
Rai hails from Varanasi and had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against Modi from the parliamentary constituency. The Congress appointed him as the Uttar Pradesh unit chief in 2023.
