Live
- YSRCP govt eying lands of common people, alleges NDA
- Man makes Lord Hanuman co-litigant, fined Rs 1 lakh
- Muslims should get quota: Lalu
- Megastar urges Pithapuram voters to elect his brother
- Test flight of Starliner carrying Sunita Williams postponed
- Time for Kakatiyas to defeat ‘Delhi Sultans’: Revanth Reddy
- Hyderabad: Fruit vendor electrocuted
- Heavy rain brings respite to sizzling Hyd
- 3.03 lakh people used postal ballot facility so far: CEO
- 61 per cent turnout in Phase 3 of LS polls
Congress Announces Caste Census Plan In Madhya Pradesh Ahead Of Assembly Polls
- Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's political move involves conducting a caste-based census in Madhya Pradesh if his party wins the upcoming assembly elections.
- Learn about the announcement and its context, along with criticism of the BJP government's actions and PM Modi's involvement in the Sant Ravidas temple controversy.
In a significant political maneuver, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge announced on Tuesday that if his party wins the upcoming assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh later this year, they will conduct a caste-based census in the state. Kharge made this declaration during a public rally in Sagar, situated in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh. The assembly elections are expected to take place towards the end of this year in the state, which is currently under the governance of the BJP.
Kharge criticized the BJP government for not implementing the Bundelkhand package, which was sanctioned based on a recommendation from senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He also took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he hasn't taken meaningful action in addressing the issues faced by violence-stricken Manipur.
Kharge referred to the recent inauguration of a memorial and temple dedicated to Sant Ravidas, a revered figure for Scheduled Castes, by PM Modi. Kharge highlighted that while the PM laid the foundation of the Sant Ravidas temple in Sagar, he simultaneously oversaw the demolition of a different temple dedicated to the same saint in Delhi.
Kharge accused PM Modi of remembering Sant Ravidas only during election periods. According to the 2011 Census, the Dalit population in Madhya Pradesh was recorded at 1.13 crore.
Bundelkhand, located in the northeastern part of Madhya Pradesh, holds six Assembly seats reserved for Scheduled Castes. In the 2018 state polls, the BJP secured victories in five of these seats—Bina, Naryoli, Jatara, Chandala, and Hatta—while the Congress managed to secure the seat in Gunnor.
Bundelkhand encompasses districts like Sagar, Chattarpur, Tikamgarh, Nimari, Damoh, and Panna, totaling 26 Assembly seats. In the previous state elections, the BJP won 15 of these seats, the Congress secured nine, and the remaining two were won by the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party, respectively.
