Lucknow, May 1 (PTI) Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday termed the Centre's recent announcement to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census as a "significant victory" for the PDA (Pichhde, Dalit, Alpsankhyak).

He said that the decision is a significant step toward establishing a state built on social justice.

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"This government is scared of the power of PDA, the backwards, Dalits, and minorities," Yadav said at a press conference in Lucknow.

"We are glad that a step has been taken toward creating a state rooted in social justice. This decision is a 100 per cent victory for the unity of the 90 per cent PDA alliance. Under collective pressure from all of us, the BJP government was compelled to accept this demand," Yadav claimed.

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He added, "This is just the beginning. The establishment of a just and equitable society is now entering a crucial phase for the PDA. A fair caste census will ensure every group receives its rightful share, proportionate to its population, ending the dominance of those who've historically sat atop power structures."

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre on Wednesday decided to include caste enumeration in the next census exercise in a "transparent" manner.

Announcing the decisions taken by the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the census comes under the Centre's purview but some states have done caste enumeration in the name of surveys.

Calling the caste census "India's victory," Yadav acknowledged the decades-long efforts by socialist leaders and social justice activists.

"It is because of their struggles that, after such a long battle, the government has finally agreed to conduct the caste census," he said, adding that the SP has always raised this issue responsibly.

"The BJP must not mix its electoral manipulations with the caste census. We have all seen their poll rigging, whether in Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad, Rampur, Ayodhya, or Milkipur. Their fraud has been captured on CCTV and witnessed by the public," he alleged.

Calling for broader changes, Yadav said, "We must now move further to discuss and implement proportional representation in private sector jobs, institutions, and employment. This is about equality and justice, and we will keep pushing forward."

Separately, Yadav took a swipe at the government over alleged corruption in Uttar Pradesh, citing a recent incident in Mathura where a water tank built at a cost of crores, collapsed.

"A senior IAS officer has gone underground. That water tank simply couldn't bear the weight of corruption," he remarked.

On the occasion of International Workers' Day, the SP chief extended greetings to workers across India and the world. He acknowledged the economic, social, and mental challenges faced by the labour force and assured that his party would continue to work toward addressing them.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)