BJD Accuses BJP of Neglecting Odisha's Backward Classes, Calls for Immediate Caste-Based Census

A day after labeling BJP as anti-tribal, BJD criticized the Odisha government for neglecting backward class communities. BJD MPs accused the current administration of hindering OBC progress, in contrast to the previous BJD government. They called for an immediate caste-based census and increased OBC reservations.

A day after labeling the ruling BJP as anti-tribal, the Opposition BJD on Thursday criticized the Odisha government for neglecting backward class communities. BJD Rajya Sabha MPs Sasmit Patra and Subhashish Khuntia accused the Mohan Charan Majhi government of hindering the progress of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), contrasting it with the previous BJD administration's efforts to support these communities.

Patra said, ''The BJP governments at both the state and central levels are ignoring the needs of people belonging to backward class communities.'' The BJD called for an immediate caste-based census in Odisha, arguing that such a survey would be essential for developing effective welfare programs for OBCs. They also demanded an increase in OBC reservation from the current 11.5 per cent to 27 per cent.

The BJD leaders highlighted that the previous government had passed a resolution in January 2020 for a caste-based census and had approved amendments to the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes Act, 1993. They noted that a State Commission for Backward Classes was established, with former High Court Judge Justice Raghunath Biswal appointed as its chairman.

Additionally, they referenced a unanimous Assembly resolution passed on February 17, 2020, aimed at amending the Backward Classes Act to facilitate a survey of the social and educational conditions of backward class populations. Despite OBCs and Socially and Economically Backward Classes comprising more than half of Odisha's population, BJD leaders stated that legal directives prevented the government from implementing 50 per cent reservation for them.

The regional party also called for proportional reservation in admissions to technical and medical institutions. As of now, the BJP has not responded to BJD's allegations.

(With inputs from agencies.)