http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Move-on-caste-census-hailed/articleshow/6302942.cms
Move on caste census hailed TNN, Aug 13, 2010, 06.45am IST NAGPUR: Akhil Bharatiya Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad on Thursday organised a small celebration at the RBI square here, welcoming the decision of the group of ministers on caste-based enumeration. Parishad's city president and NIT trusteeKishor Kanhere garlanded Ambedkar's statue amid bursting of firecrackers and playing of band. Speaking on the occasion, he said the Samata Partishad, under the leadership of Chhagan Bhujbal, was fighting for the cause for the last 17 years. It had been demanding inclusion of caste in the national census process. The demand was raised so that the other backward classes (OBCs) which were denied their due as per their strength would get a better deal. Kanhere said he had filed a petition in the Supreme Court in the matter where a decision was pending. "The pressure on the government finally worked. The announcement on the caste count is an Independence day gift for millions of OBCs in the country," said Kanhere. The Samata Parishad has thanked Bhujbal, BJPgeneral secretaryGopinath Munde , Janata Dal(U) leaderSharad Yadav and MP Sameer Bhujbal for forcefully pleading the case for enumeration of OBCs. For last seven decades no such exercise was done to find out the numbers of the OBCs. As a result, the community was not getting proportionate share in national planning process and welfare schemes and reservation in jobs and elections, said Kanhere. Frustrated over the indecision of the Union government on the caste count, the Samata Parishad had threatened a huge protest rally at Ramlila grounds in Delhi on August 23. Despite major political parties extending support to the demand for caste count, the UPA government had not been able to take a final decision on it even as the census operations began early this year. Now the government has decided to register the caste count separately in December. Read more: Move on caste census hailed - Nagpur - City - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Move-on-caste-census-hailed/articleshow/6302942.cms#ixzz0wU0VMNVc
