Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav reiterated the need for a caste census in India.
Emphasising the exclusion of many from backward communities in mainstream representation, Yadav pledged his party's commitment to securing rights for these marginalised groups.
He was speaking at a rally hosted by Independent legislator Balraj Kundu in Haryana.
Addressing a gathering ahead of the Haryana assembly polls, Yadav stressed, "We assure you that the way the whole country today wants a caste census because after so many years of independence, there are many backward people whose counting could not be done and we could not bring them into the mainstream."
Expressing solidarity with the demand raised from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Yadav acknowledged the resonance of this issue in Haryana. He affirmed his party's dedication to ensuring a comprehensive caste census post the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, emphasising the importance of granting rightful recognition to all segments of society.
Highlighting similar calls from other political quarters, Yadav mentioned the Congress's commitment to conducting a caste census if elected to power. Additionally, Bihar's JD(U) government has already disclosed findings from its caste survey, aligning with the momentum building around this issue ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections.
Yadav also criticised the Centre's Agniveer scheme for soldier recruitment.
Promising to abolish this system, he asserted, "The first promise in the poll manifesto of the Samajwadi Party will be to end the Agniveer system and restore the earlier system of recruitment."
The rally also saw the presence of former Gujarat Chief Minister Shankersinh Vaghela, among other leaders, lending further weight to Yadav's advocacy for a caste census and his party's commitment to addressing the concerns of backward classes.