Caste-based census can offer better social justice, but BJP opposing it: Chavan

Ashok Chavan on Thursday said that the castebased census can offer better social justice but the BJP is opposing it reported the PTIThe former Maharashtra CM accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of opposing castebased census and stressed that it could offer better social justice to the peopleSpeaking in Nagpur district of Maharashtra during a Congress rally organised on the occasion of its 139th foundation day Ashok Chavan said that his party wants a castebased census in the entire countryThe Congress is also of the opinion that the 50 per cent cap on reservation should be lifted The whole exercise castebased census would help address reservationrelated issues in all the states but the BJP is opposing this move he said according to the PTITargeting the BJP Chavan said there have been serious attempts to divert attention from such matters while some nonissues are being turned into issuesThe current dispensation is trying to pit one community against another in the state Maratha versus OBCs Dalits versus others SC versus ST communities among others he saidThis is a classic way to divert attention from real issues in the state Ashok Chavan saidThe Congress leader also claimed that people have learned that the past ten years were a waste because of the BJP rule at the CentreMany people said that they want to make India a Congressfree country One must not forget that there is no news about those people but the Congress party has remained intact he saidMeanwhilethe Congress kickstarted its campaign for next years Lok Sabha elections with its mega rally Hain Tayyar Hum in Maharashtras Nagpur city on Thursday the partys 139th foundation dayIt will be a historic moment for the people of the country Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole on Wednesday said addressing a press conference at the venue of the event as per the PTIThe party will give a message of change to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party BJP at the Centre he saidCongress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi will address the rally according to party leadersThe mega event assumes significance as it will be held in Nagpur where the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sanghs RSS headquarters and Deekshabhoomi the historic place where Dr B R Ambedkar embraced Buddhism are locatedwith PTI inputs