Uttar Pradesh Congress, which is preparing for the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha polls, has raised the issue of caste census and increasing reservation for the backwards. The party has also issued a toll free number so that people could extend their support for the cause.

The party has already gone to several districts in the past four months to garner support on the issue and have received overwhelming response. Meetings were held in Muzaffarnagar, Mau, Deoria, Allahabad, Kanpur, Lucknow and many other places.

On the death anniversary of Chandrajit Yadav, a former union minister and champion of social justice movement in the country,  a conference was held regarding caste census and OBC reservation here at the state party headquarters on Thursday.

More than 200 OBC leaders from across the state participated in the conference.

Party leaders here confirmed that it was decided in the meeting that Divisional level Sammelan would be started across the state in the coming days in which the outline of district-wise movements will be organised for caste census and increasing OBC quota. Division wise responsibilities of leaders were also decided in the conference, who will decided the road map to struggle from road to house to increase caste census and reservation.

A toll free number *8744894894* has been issued for support for the cause in the conference. This number was inaugurated by the leader of Nai Samaj party Om Prakash Thakur  by making the first missed call.

“Assembly-wise support will be mobilized in the entire state through the toll-free number. It is planned to publicize this toll number through social media and pamphlets, pamphlets and posters,” the leader said.

Speakers in the conference said that the concept of social justice cannot be fulfilled without caste census. Caste census will not only give a complete picture of the country, but it will strengthen democracy.The speakers said that the BJP has constituted various commissions to spread confusion, but their recommendations cannot be trusted without caste census because the number of backward castes in these commissions has been deliberately reduced.

Speakers , without taking name of any political party particularly Samajwadi Party, warned that there will be street struggle for caste census and increasing OBC reservation and political parties talking about caste census on Twitter and Facebook are only cheating the OBC community.

Four resolutions were passed  in the conference which includes the concept of social justice cannot be completed without caste census, hence caste census is necessary to strengthen democracy;  the limit of 50% reservation should be removed immediately so that the backward castes get reservation in proportion to their population; reservation should be ensured in proportion to the population by increasing the reservation of OBCs and on the basis of their socio-economic status, division of backward class should be done  into backward, most backward and most backward class proportionally.