Lucknow, Dec 10 (PTI) Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday called for a caste census as he accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of tampering with the spirit of the Constitution by denying the people equality on the basis of their castes.

"People across the country are in favour of caste census. The BJP has tampered with the basic spirit of the Mandal Commission, the Constitution," Yadav said at a rally in Tundla Firozabad where members of Pal, Baghel, and Dhangar community were gathered.

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According to a press statement issued by the party, Yadav said the fight for social justice will be finished only when caste census is conducted and when people get proportionate rights. "It's a long fight. Backwards and Dalits have to be given their rights."

"We will not only fight for the interests of Pal, Baghel, and Dhangar community, we also need your cooperation so that you can get their rights and respect in proportion to your numerical strength," he said.

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Yadav said the BJP government's announcement of developing defence industries in Bundelkhand region was a hollow promise.

"People of Bundelkhand must have known that BJP had shown big dreams earlier too. People from Delhi came and said that missiles will be made in Uttar Pradesh.

"Today, if we look back 10 years, those who had promised to make tanks, have not even made a 'sutli' bomb (a type of fire cracker) till date."

(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)