New Delhi: Hosting the first national conference of ‘social justice federation’, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday called upon Opposition parties to create a ‘united voice’ for social justice, rather than remaining as ‘lone voices’.
The floating of ‘All India Federation for Social Justice’ saw leaders of several Opposition parties joining either physically or virtually with each of them calling for unity to defeat the BJP.
Notably the parties made a strong case for a nationwide caste census just as Stalin questioned reservations based on economic criteria.
The first speaker of the conference, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien criticised picking up parties including BJD and YSRCP for not joining the move, saying they ‘do not want to fight the BJP’, according to The Indian Express.
The leaders who attended the conference included Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot (Congress), Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren (JMM), Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury, among others.
Stalin appealed to the Opposition to begin awareness campaign among new generation on Periyar, B R Ambedkar and Jyotirao Phule to spread “the message of federalism, state autonomy, secularism, equality, fraternity, and social justice”.
Stalin said the poor can become rich and rich can become poor, so class cannot be a credible criteria for reservation.
Creating a 10% quota for economically poor in the upper castes was like taking the country 200 year back, he said, adding that he is not against helping the poor.
Stalin said the BJP had an eye on May 10 Assembly polls in Karnataka where it had done away with the separate quota for Muslims.
Joining the meeting virtually, Akhilesh Yadav called up Opposition parties to keep aside egos and fight together against the BJP, adding that as long the BJP remains in power the backward caste and Dalits will not get their rights.
The AAP’s Sanjay Singh voiced support for a caste census, saying only after a caste census will the government be able to ensure justice for communities.