Bihar's caste survey a brave step forward, Maharashtra and other states should follow suit: NCP MLA
Thane (PTI): The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Jitendra Awhad has hailed the Bihar government's caste survey and demanded that a similar exercise be carried out in all states of the country, including Maharashtra, alleging that the rights of the OBCs were being snatched away.
The member of the Maharashtra legislative assembly representing the Mumbra-Kalwa constituency in Thane district made this demand in a video message posted on social media platform X on Monday night.
"Bihar has taken a brave step forward. It took a decision to conduct a caste-based census. And what truth came out of it (caste-based census)? It revealed that the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) comprise 61 per cent of the population. The Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and OBCs together form 85 per cent of its population," he said.
"And the truth that came out in Bihar is the truth of the entire India. And therefore we demand...we have always demanded that at least bring out the exact caste-wise population figures. Today, everything is being snatched away from the OBCs," he said.
Even if we consider that the OBCs comprise only 50 per cent of the population, why are they being deprived of reservation, Awhad asked.
What (Bahujan Samaj Party founder) Kanshi Ram said is true. He said, 'Jiski jitni sankhya bhari, uski utni hissedari' (the greater the number, the greater the share). Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar had also said that OBCs are the most backward and hence they should get reservation, the NCP leader added.
He alleged that attempts were made to stop the truth of Bihar's caste survey from coming into the public domain.
"Our demand is that a caste-based census be carried out...What Bihar has done has to be implemented by all other states, including Maharashtra," the former state minister said.
"Bihar has shown the path, so people should wake up as your rights are being snatched away," he said.
In a written post attached with the video, Awhad said, if the total population of Backward Classes (including OBCs, SCs and STs) is 80 to 84 percent, then capping the reservation at 50 per cent is like doing injustice to them.
"The Maharashtra legislature has passed a resolution for a caste-based census, which was supported by the then leader of opposition and now Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. So everybody should come together and start a caste-based census in Maharashtra," he said.
If this government says that works for the poor and the common people, it should bring it into a reality, he said.
The Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on Monday released findings of its much-awaited caste survey months ahead of the 2024 Parliamentary elections. According to the data, the state's total population stood at a little over 13.07 crore, out of which the Extremely Backward Classes (36 per cent) were the largest social segment followed by the Other Backward Classes at 27.13 per cent.
RJD president Lalu Prasad issued a statement, in which he said that the survey will set the tone for "a nationwide caste census which will be undertaken when we form the next government at the Centre".
The Congress also welcomed the Bihar government's move to release the findings of a caste census and called upon the Centre to immediately conduct a similar exercise at the national level to ensure social justice and provide a firm foundation for social empowerment programmes.
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Man arrested with Rs 2.54-crore heroin in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): Police have arrested a man and seized over 500 grams of heroin worth Rs 2.54 crore in the illicit market from him in Mumbai, officials said on Friday.
The police's Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) made the drug seizure in Santacruz in the western suburbs. The operation was conducted by the Kandivali unit of the ANC on Thursday as part of a special crackdown against drug trafficking in the area, they said.
Acting on specific inputs, an ANC team conducted a raid in Santacruz (East) and intercepted a man. During a search, the team recovered 508 grams of high-grade heroin from his possession, an official said.
The seized contraband, a highly addictive, opioid drug derived from morphine, is estimated to be worth Rs 2.54 crore in the international market, he informed.
Following the seizure, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and he was formally placed under arrest in the early hours of Friday.
The police are currently investigating the source of the drug and trying to identify the intended recipients of the consignment, he said.
