Bhubaneswar: Amidst Odisha government’s demand for inclusion of OBC data in Census-2021, Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ram Das Athawale Saturday supported the state’s claim.
Addressing the media during his visit to the state, the minister batted for enumeration of OBC population and demographics of all castes in the country along with the general Census of 2021.
“I also want that the enumeration of all castes including OBC should be undertaken by the government along with the Census. Our party also believes this. I have decided to write to the PM on the issue. Let the data on all castes be collected to bring it into the public,” he said.
The minister also said that OBC and other caste related data was collected during the 2011 Census but it was not disclosed in the public. The minister claimed that there was nothing wrong in the demand and his party – Republican Party of India (RPI), an ally of the NDA government at the Centre, also favours this.
The minister requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to join the NDA government at the Centre to ensure free flow of funds from the Centre. “Naveen ji is a good person. Earlier, he was with the NDA and has also been a minister under the NDA government. His party (BJD) has also supported the Union government on key Bills like CAA, Triple Talaq in the Parliament and others. I think he should join NDA,” Athawale said.
The Union minister said, “If Naveen ji plans to join the NDA government this will help the state at large. This will ensure that more central funds coming to the state. So, I would like to request the CM to join the NDA government for the betterment of the state.”