'Sabka saath sabka vikaas' a sham, only caste survey can bridge the divide, says Akhilesh Yadav

Mocking the Bharatiya Janata Party's slogan 'Sabka saath, sabka vikaas', Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Sunday said instead of sloganeering, it should focus on eliminating inequality in the country by holding a nationwide caste survey to ensure that all communities get their due share in the development.

Speaking at a programme held at the Samajwadi Party (SP) office here to mark the 74th birth anniversary of late veteran Kurmi leader Sonelal Patel, Yadav said, "If we demand a caste-based census, then we are termed as casteist people by the BJP."

"The BJP cleverly sings the slogan of 'sabka saath, sabka vikaas' but will development reach everyone merely by saying 'sabka saath'?" the SP chief asked.

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"This inequality will end only if a caste census is carried out and people of all communities get their due respect and honour."

Citing the provision of a caste survey in several countries, Yadav said instead of implementing rules to bring people who lag on an equal plane with others, false slogans are raised in India to mislead the people.

Earlier, Yadav had said that the BJP-led NDA will be defeated in the next year's general elections by 'PDA' -- 'pichhade' (backward classes), Dalit and 'alpasankhyak' (minorities).

Reiterating his stance on Sunday, the former UP chief minister said, "The battle is long, and I am confident that in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, nobody will be able to face the 'PDA'. We will move forward and will be successful."

Recalling Sonelal Patel's contribution to society, Yadav said following the Kurmi leader's path and fulfilling his dreams would be a "true tribute" to him. He added that he had "quite an old relationship" with the veteran leader as his workplace was same as Sonelal Patel's birthplace -- Kannauj.

Speaking on the occasion, the late leader's wife and the president of Apna Dal (Kamerawadi), Krishna Patel said her husband fought for the deprived, backward and weaker sections of the society throughout his life.

"Today, the fight for the ideology of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and the fight for social justice is in the hands of Akhilesh Yadav. We all have faith that he will take this fight forward," Krishna Patel said.

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She added that a caste survey was necessary to "provide justice and rights to all sections of the society".

Addressing the gathering, SP leader Uday Pratap Singh accused the BJP-led Centre of "undemocratic" and "unconstitutional" activities.

"The alliance of politics of religion and capitalism created by the BJP is dangerous for our democracy. The BJP government has weakened all the constitutional institutions. The CBI and ED are being misused to intimidate the opposition," Singh said.

"The BJP does not want to give rights and respect to the deprived and weaker people, which is why it is opposing the caste census. It is only through a caste census that all the sections of the society will get their long-due respect," the former MP added.

The Apna Dal was founded by Sonelal Patel in 1995. Born on July 2, 1950 in Bagulihai village in Kannauj district, Sonelal Patel was a close companion of Bahujan Samaj Party founder Kanshi Ram. He died in a road accident in 2009.

In October 2014, fissures within the Apna Dal became public for the first time as its then-national general secretary Anupriya Patel was removed from her post.

Later, the two Apna Dal factions aligned with rival groupings led by the BJP and the Samajwadi Party. The Apna Dal (Sonelal) has 13 MLAs and two MPs, including Sonelal Patel's daughter Anupriya Patel. The rival faction is led by her mother Krishna Patel and elder sister Pallavi Patel.

Pallavi Patel trounced UP Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya from the Sirathu assembly seat in the 2022 elections as an SP candidate.