Sharad Yadav wants government to faster action on caste in census

New Delhi, May 28 (ANI): Janata Dal (United) chief Sharad Yadav has asked the government to act fast on the factor of caste in census.

Talking to reporters here on Thursday, Yadav said: "I want to say that government should not delay the process and to say that only a few lawmakers are lobbying for it is wrong, I have named so many political parties and they are all supporting it."

He also accused the government of adopting delaying tactics on the issue of caste census.

"The handing it over to the GoM (Group of Ministers) is a delaying tactic and this will weaken the promise made to the Parliament," he said.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena Supremo Bal Thackeray expressed his displeasure over the issue.

" It is not an issue of caste or religion. Not OBC (other backward classes). We oppose the caste-based census. Do you want the nation to drown in caste and religion? Already our nation was split on religion basis. And why again divide the society on this basis. Of course, people are supreme," Thackeray said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured Parliament that his government would soon take a decision on including a caste criterion in the country's mammoth decadal census.

The cabinet has referred the issue of caste census to a group of ministers (GoM) that is yet to be formed.

India's Census 2011, the 15th national census since 1872, formally began on April 1, 2010. However, the actual headcount of an estimated population of over 1.2 billion people will take place in February next year. (ANI)