Hooda bats for caste census

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, October 13

The caste census in Haryana will help in granting reservation to communities as per their population strength, and at the same time, help in identifying more backward communities, said former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda in an interview with The Tribune.

He said in 2013, his government had provided 10 per cent quota for the economically poor among the upper castes, too. “The 50 per cent ceiling on reservations should be removed,” he said.

50% ceiling on quota must go

In 2013, my government had provided 10 per cent quota for the economically poor among the upper castes, too. The 50 per cent ceiling limiting caste reservations should be removed.

— Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Former CM

On former Uunion minister Kumari Selja countering his idea of having four deputy CMs belonging to different castes, in case the Congress comes back to power, Hooda reiterated: “MLAs and the high command choose the CM. In 2019, I had made the announcement regarding having four deputy CMs, one each from the Brahmin community, backward castes, and Scheduled Castes. The fourth would be from any other caste.” Selja had commented in a press conference on Wednesday that the CM’s post was not reserved for anyone and should be decided from among “all the 36 biradaris”.

On delay in the selection of district-level organisation, he said it was up to state incharge Deepak Babaria to make the announcement, and it would happen anytime soon.

Supporting Ferozepur Jhirka MLA Mamman Khan, he alleged that the government had framed him to hide its own failures. “The National Commission for Minorities has said the Nuh violence was not an incident of organised crime. Local people were not involved, and some youths became victims of incitement. The CID had been reporting that riots could break out, but no preventive step was taken,” he stated.

Attacking the government, he said the Khattar government had failed on all fronts. “During my regime, the unemployment rate was 2.9 per cent whereas now it is 9 per cent. People from outside the state are being selected in government jobs like that of ADOs, SDO (Electrical) etc,” he claimed.

Hooda said he would visit each Assembly constituency from November 1, and added: “There is a glut of paddy in mandis, but lifting has been tardy. Farmers have not been getting MSP. Portals should make the lives of people easier, and not complex. The government should withdraw Parivar Pechaan Patra and property IDs.”