Akhilesh Yadav Questions Caste-Based Census Notification, Flags Concerns Over Reservation Rights

Lucknow: Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has raised concerns over the recently issued government notification for the caste-based census. Criticizing the lack of a dedicated column for caste, Yadav alleged that the notification indicates the BJP government’s reluctance to conduct a proper caste enumeration. He emphasized that communities will now have to fight for their reservation rights independently.

Akhilesh’s Critique

In a post on social media platform X, Akhilesh Yadav questioned the purpose of the census without caste data. He stated that the BJP’s approach ensures neither enumeration nor a demographic basis for proportional reservation. He described the omission as a deliberate move against the PDA community, calling it a political conspiracy.

Akhilesh added that supporters of the BJP who had earlier advocated for a caste-based census now feel betrayed and humiliated. Many are reportedly removing BJP flags from their homes, vehicles, and shops as a mark of protest.

Fight for Reservation

Akhilesh asserted that the PDA community must fight for its rights, dignity, and reservation independently. He criticized the BJP as “dishonest” and accused the party of exposing its true intentions, calling their behavior shameless and deceitful.

What is the Caste Census?

The demand for a caste-based census has been consistently raised by opposition parties. The government initially planned a census in 2021, which was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, the Census-2027 notification has been released, but it reportedly lacks detailed provisions for caste enumeration.

Currently, the census notification asks enumerators only whether the head of the household belongs to a Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, or other category.

Key Data Points in Census Notification

The census will collect information on the following:

• House number and census number
• Construction materials used in walls, floors, and roof
• Use and condition of the house
• Family details including number of residents, head of family, gender, and caste category (SC/ST/Others)
• Ownership status and number of rooms
• Access to drinking water, electricity, toilets, and sanitation
• Availability of kitchen facilities, cooking fuel, and LPG/PNG connections
• Ownership of radios, TVs, internet, computers, telephones, and vehicles
• Main grains consumed by the family
• Mobile number for census purposes only

Akhilesh Yadav has questioned the effectiveness of this census, highlighting that without proper caste data, the demographic basis for reservation cannot be established.

This statement has renewed the debate over caste-based enumeration in Uttar Pradesh and other states, signaling political contention over social justice and reservation policies.