Nation won't progress unless SC-ST, OBC communities move forward: Mallikarjun Kharge

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 2 (ANI): Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that the nation won't progress unless Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and OBC communities move forward.
Kharge was addressing the Poura Karmikara (Sanitation/civic workers) at Poura Karmikara Dinacharane event organised by the Government of Karnataka and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike here on Thursday.
Speaking about the Caste Census, Kharge said that "During the tenure of former PM Dr Manmohan Singh ji, we initiated a Socio-Economic Caste Census in 2010. But the BJP didn't release that report. Rahul Gandhi repeatedly highlighted it, and we spoke about the Caste survey in every state. We insisted on taking up the Caste Census to help the Backward Community."
"In 2023, I wrote a letter to the PM, urging him to initiate a Caste Census and add it as a component in the general census format. But the Union government ignored my letter, but now they have approved the Caste Enumeration as a part of the next General Census. BJP and Modiji want to take credit for initiating this Caste Census, therefore, they ignored our previous appeals," he added.

Kharge urged the Central government to fulfill three demands of the Congress. He mentioned the Caste Census as his first demand.
Secondly, he urged to implementation of Article 15(5), which provides a special provision for the advancement of SC/ST/OBC communities. Lastly, he insisted that the Union government remove the present reservation cap of 50 per cent and include SC/ST/OBC and Economically Weaker Section in the revised reservation quota.
"If the government ignores these demands, then people will start agitating in the streets to secure their rights' he warned.
He recalled Dr BR Ambedkar's contribution to the Labour law on this occasion.
"Modiji is closing PSUs and gifting them to his crony friends, therefore, SC/ST/OBC are getting fewer employment opportunities," Kharge said. (ANI)