Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren will be leading an all-party delegation from the state to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to discuss the contentious issue of caste-based census, he informed the Assembly on Wednesday, 8 September, PTI reported.
“Every caste is demanding reservation based on their numbers. However, no proposal could be sent to the Centre for a caste census. I have sought the PM’s time to discuss the issue along with an all-party nine-member delegation from Jharkhand between 12 and 20 September,” Soren said during the Question Hour.
He also invited opposition Bharatiya Janata Party members to join the delegation, which will meet the PM, reported Hindustan Times.
“I want members from both treasury and opposition benches to join us,” said Soren, according to the daily.
Earlier in August, a delegation of 10 parties, led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, had met Prime Minister Modi over the issue of a caste-based census.
“The prime minister listened to all members of the delegation on (the issue of) caste census in the state. We urged the PM to take an appropriate decision on it. We briefed him on how resolutions have been passed twice in the state Assembly on caste census... People in Bihar and the entire country are of the same opinion on this issue”, news agency ANI had quoted Kumar as saying.
Earlier in the day, BJP members created a ruckus at the Well of the House and displayed posters and protested against the state’s employment policy.
They were also protesting against the allotment of a room for offering namaz in the assembly.
On Thursday, 2 September, a government order was issued for the allotment of “namaz hall” in the Assembly premises.
While the ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and the Congress welcomed the move, the BJP expressed its strong opposition and demanded the construction of a Hanuman temple in the Assembly complex.
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