The BJP should clarify its stand on the inclusion of caste in the census data and clear the misconception that its affairs are controlled by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, RSS ideologue M.G. alias Baburao Vaidya said on Sunday.
“The BJP is still undecided. Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, Opposition leader in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, along with L.K. Advani, should come out with a statement on the issue of inclusion of caste in the census data,” Mr. Vaidya wrote in his weekly column in a local Marathi daily Tarun Bharat.
He said BJP president Nitin Gadkari should immediately convene a national executive meeting and announce the party's decision.
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According to Mr. Vaidya, the RSS had already made known its opposition to the census but, “the BJP is free to decide and not necessarily toe the RSS line. This will indeed help clear the misconception that the BJP's affairs are controlled from the RSS headquarters.”
The BJP has officially maintained silence, despite senior party leader and Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde openly supporting the inclusion of caste in the census, he added. — PTI