Congress demands for caste census, separate quota for OBC women within 33% reservation

The opposition Congress in Tripura along with party units of other states of the country on Friday demands caste census, separate quota for OBC women within 33% reservation.

Addressing a press conference on Friday afternoon, Pradesh Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha accompanied by MLA Sudip Roy Barman urges Centre to implement the women's reservation Bill immediately.

Sudip Roy Barman said that there must be a separate quota for women belonging to other backward classes (OBC) and asserted that Congress would carry out a caste-based census if it comes to power.

He urged the Narendra Modi government to immediately implement the women’s bill and not wait for a census or delimitation.

Stating that the Bill was a diversion and distraction, it may take 10 years or more to be implemented and we are not sure if it will even be, said Sudip and added that the Bill is a distraction from the caste census demand.

Stating that MPs are mere statues in the House, he said, “MPs don’t have any power in the law-making process.”

 “When we come to power, the caste census will take place and the OBC community will be empowered and they will participate in governance,” he said.

Efforts to grant 33% reservation to women in Legislative Assemblies and Lok Sabha have been made by several governments since 1996. The UPA government had brought a bill, and it was passed in Rajya Sabha in 2010. However, it lapsed as it never made it to the Lok Sabha, said Sudip and added that the OBCs are the worst sufferers and they are being deprived of many rights.

Referring to the statements made by Congress Working Committee (CWC), Sudip said that “The CWC also underlines the stubborn refusal of the Modi government to conduct a Caste Census. This refusal in the face of a universal demand has exposed the BJP’s lack of commitment to social and economic justice and its bias against the backward classes, Dalits and tribal people. In this context, the CWC also calls for increasing the existing upper limit of reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and OBCs.”

He also alleged that introduction of women reservation Bill by the Modi government is only a poll gimmick and they have no intention to ensure the rights of SC, ST and OBCs.