Lucknow, Feb 24 (PTI) Apna Dal (Sonelal) leader Ashish Singh Patel, an ally in the BJP-led ruling coalition in Uttar Pradesh, on Friday said his party is for a caste census in the state, a day after the government rejected an opposition demand for the survey.

Responding to the Samajwadi Party (SP) demand, the Uttar Pradesh government had on Thursday said in the assembly that carrying out the census was the Centre's jurisdiction.

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During a discussion on the Governor's address in the assembly on Friday, Patel, said, "Our party (Apna Dal-Sonelal) is still saying that there should be a caste census, we just want to ask the leader of opposition and the Samajwadi Party, if Samajwadi Party members raised the subject of caste census when the SP was in power four times."

The technical education minister also said that "our government is moving forward on the path of good governance, security, development and goodwill with the policy of zero-tolerance towards crime and corruption".

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On Thursday, SP legislator Sangram Singh raised the caste survey issue during the Question Hour in the assembly, asking the government "whether it will initiate a caste census in the state on the lines of Bihar".

The government had replied in negative, asserting that carrying out the census was the Centre's jurisdiction.

"According to Article 246 of the Indian Constitution, this (census) is the work of Centre. The census is done by Centre only," Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, responding on behalf of the government, had said.

Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) leader Om Prakash Rajbhar targeted the SP, saying when it was in power, it did not "remember the caste census, which it is missing now".

Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal (Nishad) party leader and Fisheries Minister Sanjay Nishad said the government is committed to the progress of all classes.

Attacking Opposition SP, he said after being in government for 20 years, it did nothing for the fishing community.

Jansatta Dal (Democratic) leader Raghuraj Pratap Singh demanded a ban on cases being registered against public representatives for peaceful agitations and said he is not in support of violence or causing disturbance.

Congress leader Aradhana Mishra 'Mona' said the Governor's address is a recitation written by the government with "black ink of lies on white paper".

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)