Apna Dal(S) bats for counting the backward class population, ministry for community

Prayagraj, Sep 2 (PTI) State Minister Anupriya Patel on Monday said her party Apna Dal (S) wants a census of the backward class in the next census and also called for the creation of a special central ministry for the community.

The Apna Dal (S) president said this at the district conference of her party, which is an ally of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

Addressing workers from across Uttar Pradesh at Civil Lines, Patel said, “There is a very large backward class population in the country. In the 1990s, when the Mandal Commission recommendations were implemented, the backward class population was estimated to be 52 per cent.

“In so many years, the country’s population has reached 140 crore and by 2047, when the country will complete 100 years of independence, the population is expected to reach 167 crore. By then, the population of backward classes will also increase to a large extent,” she said.

Patel said that such a large population of the country faces many problems and challenges, which the government needs to address.

“There was a time when there was no Ministry of Minority Welfare and Ministry of Tribal Welfare at the Centre. But later these ministries were created to resolve the problems of minorities and tribals,” she said.

“Apna Dal believes that there is a very large population of backward classes in this country. Therefore, when the census is done in the country, the backward classes should also be counted so that authentic figures of the backward class population can come out. It is necessary to form a Ministry of Backward Classes for justice to the backward classes,” Patel said.

Referring to President Draupadi Murmu’s statement on the culture of giving dates after dates in the courts, the minister said there is only one solution to this problem: there should be an all-India examination for judicial posts so that young men and women from all corners of the country can serve, from the lower courts to the Supreme Court.

“This will lead to social diversity in the judiciary and the shortage of judges will be resolved,” Patel added.

Meanwhile, she appealed to all party workers to do their utmost to ensure victory of NDA candidates in the by-elections being held for 10 seats in the state assembly.

“Regardless of the symbol, on whichever seats the NDA candidates are contesting, you (workers) must work together with all your might to ensure their victory and send them to the Uttar Pradesh assembly,” she said.