BJP demands immediate OBC survey in Odisha, accuses BJD of deliberate delay

Opposition BJP Thursday accused the BJD government in Odisha of deliberately delaying the survey for enumeration of other backward classes (OBCs) in the state.

Stating that the BJP leaders have knocked all doors including those of the OBC Commission, the state chief secretary and department secretary for conducting the survey, BJP state OBC cell president Surath Biswal said the saffron party will soon launch a state-wide stiir demanding immediate conduct of the OBC census in Odisha.

Biswal said the BJP leaders along with OBCs of the state will launch an agitation and gherao the Assembly building if the government further delays the survey.

He alleged that the state government has flouted the Supreme Court order to first make reservation provision for OBCs and then go to the local body polls. The state government has not hesitated to go for panchayat and the urban polls despite the court order, Biswal said.

Claiming that the people belonging to OBC and socially and educationally backward classes constitute more than 54 per cent of the state's population, the BJP leader that the majority of the population has been denied their constitutional rights by ensuring job reservation.

He said that the Odisha State Commission for Backward Classes (OSCBC) has recently recommended inclusion of 20 castes in the state OBC list. As per the data available with the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), Odisha has 200 castes listed under OBC and the state government has a list of 209 castes in in SEBC category.