Opposition parties clamour to take credit for caste survey

NDA govt's announcement to include caste survey in the next census triggered a battle among various parties on Wednesday for taking credit, with each one of them claiming that it was the pressure mounted by them on this issue that forced the Centre's hand.

"The decision to get caste census done is a cent per cent victory of the PDA (an abbreviation that SP uses for OBCs, Dalits and minorities), which comprise 90% of the population. It was a result of our joint pressure that BJP was left with no option and compelled to take the decision," SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said in a statement. BSP chief Mayawati said the move was "extremely delayed", but a step in the right direction. "BSP has been demanding this for a long time."

Claiming that it was the socialists who first raised the demand for caste census, RJD chief Lalu Prasad said in a post: "What socialists think today, others follow later ... They would make BJP people dance to their tune."

However, JD(U)'s Vijay Kumar Choudhary said it was Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar who first envisioned the idea of caste census when he was part of INDIA bloc.

Terming the move a 'hard-earned victory' for DMK, Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin said in a post: "We were the first to adopt a resolution in the legislative assembly demanding caste census."