Congress trying to suppress progress of backward classes: Union minister Bhupender Yadav

Bengaluru: Union Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav on Saturday accused the Congress of trying to stifle the growth of backward classes by ignoring the recommendations made by several commissions – Kaka Kalekar, Mandal, etc., – constituted in the past to improve the prospects of vulnerable communities.

Yadav, participating in the seminar “Caste Census: Past and Preview” in Bengaluru, charged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with ignoring the concerns of Other Backward Classes (OBCs).

“The Congress ignored recommendations of the Kaka Kalekar and Mandal commissions. Then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had the support of more than 400 MPs and yet failed to ensure social justice. This is what CM Siddaramaiah is doing in Karnataka. Backward communities got justice only after the country was freed from the clutches of the Congress,” said the Union Minister.

Yadav attributed the Congress’ relegation to the margins of the political landscape in several states – Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal – to its “apathy” towards the concerns of OBCs. “Once the OBCs in Karnataka become aware of the party’s negligent attitude, the Congress party will suffer the same fate here,” he added.

Retired Karnataka High Court judge Justice K Bhaktavatsala advised governments to depute competent people on census duty. Underscoring the importance of the census exercise, he added, “It is vital to ensuring social justice. Census duty is not easy. Everybody in society must co-operate with those deputed on census duty. There are those who don’t even open doors to those deputed on census duty. The government cannot be criticised if people refuse to provide data.”

Justice Bhaktavatsala said that members of the judiciary who have political affiliations were unfit to serve in the system. “I don’t belong to any political party. I want to remain a judge,” he added.