Akhilesh Mocks Rahul's 'X-Ray' Remark On Caste Census, Raises Doubt Over Widening Gap In I.N.D.I.A Bloc

Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav mocked Rahul Gandhi's remark on caste census saying it was a "miracle" that the party demanded the survey.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday mocked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for the latter's remark on caste census saying it was "miracle" that the party was talking about the survey alleging that it was the same party that did not conduct the census when it was in the government after independence. 

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi has said that the caste census would be like country's X-ray that would give details of various communities in the country.

Reacting to the remark, Yadav sarcastically asked "why X-ray when there is availability of new technology like MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computed tomography) scan."

"The biggest miracle is the Congress is also talking about caste census. Those who are talking about X-rays are the same people who stopped the caste census after Independence," said the SP supremo on Monday during an election rally in Bahoriband in Madhya Pradesh's Katni district. 

"The castes can be counted in three months. All the data is available. All are having Aadhaar cards. Why will it take time," he asked, adding that 27 per cent reservation for the Other Backward Classes should be implemented in Madhya Pradesh. 

Congress has been prominently raising the issue of caste census in the upcoming elections to the assemblies of the five states — Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Mizoram. The party has promised to conduct the caste survey if elected to power in Chhattisgarh, MP, and Rajasthan.

There had been a rift between SP and Congress, the two INDIA bloc allies, in MP after they could not reach to a seat-sharing agreement ahead of the November 17 polls.