People have given BJP a befitting reply in UP by-polls : Akhilesh
Lucknow, May 31: Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said the victory of the combined opposition candidates in the Kairana Lok Sabha and Noorpur Assembly by elections is a "befitting" reply to the BJP and those who sought to divide the country.
"I want to congratulate all the people, farmers, Dalits etc. who voted for us. This is a defeat for those who do not believe in democracy. People have given a befitting reply to the BJP. The people who were trying to divide the nation have got a befitting reply," the former Chief Minister told reporters here.
He said that people of the state have taught the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a lesson for "betraying" on all the poll promises.
"People of the state have taught them a lesson for betraying them," Yadav said, adding, "UP government has repeatedly fooled the people. Farmers were told that their loans were waived but instead they lost their lives."
The SP leader congratulated the voters in Noorpur and Kairana. "This is a victory for the farmers, the neglected, the poor and the Dalits."
He thanked the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) Chief Ajit Singh, RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary for holding the fort against the BJP in Kairana and recalled the legacy of former Prime Minister Charan Singh.
The SP leader also thanked the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Mahan Party, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Nishad Party, Peace Party, Left parties and the COngress for supporting the opposition candidates in the by-polls.
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Telangana survey flags 89,000 child labourers, highlights caste disparities in employment
Hyderabad: A caste-based survey conducted by the Telangana government for 2024–25 has identified around 89,000 children engaged in labour across the state, with a large share belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities.
The findings are part of the Socio, Economic, Educational, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey, which covered about 3.5 crore people across 242 caste groups. According to the report, nearly one per cent of individuals below 18 years are involved in daily wage work. While the percentage appears small, officials noted that the absolute number reflects a serious concern.
The survey found that 11 per cent of identified child labourers belong to the ST Lambadi community, while 14 per cent are from the SC Madiga community. The highest incidence was reported among the ST Kolam group, where 7.2 per cent of minors are engaged in daily wage labour.
The data also revealed wider socio-economic disparities. Nearly half of the Scheduled Caste population is dependent on daily wage work, while only around 5 per cent are employed in the private sector, compared to about 30 per cent among General Castes.
State Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said the findings show that SC and ST communities remain three times more backward than General Castes, while Backward Classes are about 2.7 times more disadvantaged.
The report further noted that, on average, 31.3 per cent of people in the 25–65 age group depend on daily wage work. Among communities, the BC-A Odde group recorded the highest share at 55 per cent. In contrast, only 2.6 per cent of OC Brahmins rely on such work.
Several SC and ST communities, including Kolam, Beda, Madiga, Koya, Gond, Yerukulas and Mala Sale, were found to have among the highest proportions of daily wage earners. On the other hand, most General Caste communities and some Backward Class groups such as Goldsmiths and BC-C Christians showed lower dependence on daily wage employment.
The survey also pointed to inequalities in access to formal employment. Communities such as OC Rajus, OC Brahmins and Kapus were found to have a higher presence in private sector jobs, with up to 27 per cent of their population employed in such roles.
