Ambedkarnagar (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 2 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya launched a sharp attack on the opposition parties, accusing the Congress and the Samajwadi Party of 'misleading people and lying', calling them 'automatic lying machines'.

Welcoming the decision on the caste census, Maurya said the Samajwadi Party has now turned into 'Samaptwadi Party' following the announcement. He added that the move marked a step towards a 'Congress mukt Bharat'.

He said the Centre's decision on the caste census is a step towards addressing social inequality and empowering backwards communities.

Speaking to reporters, Maurya said Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not work under Opposition pressure and takes decisions with a far-sighted vision.

'...PM Narendra Modi doesn't need their (Opposition) pressure or influence. In politics, PM Modi works on schemes 1 lakh kilometres ahead of where the Opposition thinks. The decision on the Caste Census is welcome,' Maurya said.

Taking a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav, Maurya said they had been defeated in their efforts to corner the government.

'They have understood that if there is someone who can work for everyone's benefit, it is just the Government led by PM Narendra Modi,' he added.

Accusing the Congress and Samajwadi Party of misleading the public, the Deputy CM said, 'Congress only misleads and lies, and so does the SP. They are automatic lying machines. But PM Narendra Modi does what he says. We had always said that we are not against the Caste Census, and the correct decision has been taken at the right time. The entire country is welcoming it.'

Earlier, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav welcomed the government's decision to conduct a caste census, calling it a significant step towards establishing social justice. According to Yadav, this move is a major victory for the PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) and a result of collective pressure from various groups.

Ashwini Vaishnaw after a Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) meeting said the move affirms the Centre's constitutional role and aims for transparency.

'Caste was not included in all the census operations conducted since independence. In 2010, the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured the Lok Sabha that the matter of caste census would be considered in the cabinet. A group of ministers was formed to consider this subject. Most political parties recommended a caste census. Despite this, the Congress government decided to conduct only a survey of caste instead of a census. That survey is known as SECC,' Vaishnaw said.

He said the Congress and its INDI alliance partners 'have only used the caste census as a political tool.'

'As per Article 246 of the Constitution of India, the subject census is listed at 69 in the Union list in the 7th schedule. According to the Constitution of India, census is a Union subject,' Vaishnaw added. (ANI)