OBCs seek release of Census data

NASHIK: Chhagan Bhujbal, NCP leader and former public works minister who heads the Akhil Bhartiya Mahatma Phule Samta Parishad, said on Sunday that he will launch strong agitations for the rights of OBC people.
Addressing the workers of the Akhil Bhartiya Mahatma Phule Samta Parishad at Shalimar chowk here, Bhujbal said, “The Centre is yet to release the socio-economic statistics of the 2011 census.Hence, we will launch nationwide agitations soon.”
Bhujbal added: “Census of the OBCs had not been conducted after 1931. A separate census is conducted for the SC, ST and other minorities. The central and state governments make financial provisions in their budgets for people from these communities based on their populations. The Five-Year Plans also are chalked out on the basis of the census. Financial provisions are not made in the budget for the OBCs, which are 54% of the total population, as no separate census of OBCs has been conducted since 1931. This is the reason for this community remaining financially backward.”
Earlier, Bhujbal led a rally of the workers of the Parishad, demanding separate census of OBCs and release of statistics of the OBCs from the Census 2011.