- Debate included sharp exchanges on PM’s OBC status, religion-based reservation.
A stormy debate erupted in the Lok Sabha as the government and the Opposition locked horns over the contentious issues of the Census and reservation, with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the centre of the confrontation.
The exchange quickly escalated, turning the House tense as both leaders traded sharp remarks and counter-allegations.
Census Delay Triggers Political Face-Off
The debate began with Akhilesh Yadav questioning the delay in conducting the Census. He accused the government of deliberately stalling the exercise, arguing that a fresh enumeration, particularly one including caste data, would intensify demands for enhanced reservation for backward classes.
According to Yadav, the government was attempting to avoid this reality and was instead taking hurried decisions to divert public attention.
PM’s OBC Identity, Reservation Debate Intensifies
Taking his criticism further, Yadav raised questions about the Prime Minister’s earlier claims of belonging to a backward class, suggesting that the government appeared reluctant when it came to actual enumeration and rights.
Responding sharply, Amit Shah dismissed the Opposition’s claims, saying such statements were creating unnecessary confusion and concern among the public. He asserted that the Census process had already begun and confirmed that the government had decided to include caste-based enumeration.
Shah clarified that the current phase involves house listing, adding that “houses do not have a caste.” In a pointed remark, he quipped that if it were up to the Samajwadi Party, they might even assign caste identities to houses.
The exchange further intensified when Shah said that if the Samajwadi Party wished, it could allocate all its election tickets to Muslim women, a comment that sparked fresh uproar in the House.
During the debate, Shah also referred to Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav’s remarks on reservation for Muslim women, calling the idea unconstitutional. He stressed that the Indian Constitution does not permit reservation based on religion.
Akhilesh Yadav countered by asking whether Muslim women were not part of the country’s population, arguing that any discussion on women’s reservation must include women from all communities.
