While Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction, BJP’s ally in Maharashtra, is actively talking about the need for a caste census in the state, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has voiced its strong opposition to such a survey.
Senior RSS Pracharak and Vidarbha Pranth chief Shridhar Ghadge told BJP and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MLAs that the Sangh is not in favour of a caste census, saying it would further aggravate and create divisions within the Hindu community.
The comments from Ghadge came after BJP and Shiv Sena MLAs were at the Smruti Mandir campus at Reshimbagh in Nagpur to pay obeisance to RSS founder KB Hedgewar.
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Ghadge’s remarks are significant in the current situation as deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who heads a faction of the NCP, has batted in favour of a caste census to resolve the quota disputes in Maharashtra.
Later on, speaking to the media persons, Ghadge said: “We are for social equality. Why has social inequality crept in? it is because of caste… Mahatma Gandhi and everyone else have said that caste should be eliminated in a time-bound manner. But if we say that caste should be eliminated and then at the same time say that a caste survey should happen, then it is contradictory.” He said caste surveys would perpetuate the caste system and create more problems.
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