Cong to revive its OBC department in U.P. soon

: The Congress will soon revive its dissolved other backward classes (OBC) department in the state and elsewhere.
The move comes when the party is working out a roadmap to reach out to the people to push its social justice agenda that got an impetus following the Union government's announcement to hold a caste-based enumeration as part of the next decadal census.
The Congress had dissolved its state OBC department on February 27, 2025 to pave the way for reconstituting the party's front wing that works under the umbrella of the main organisation, which is also undergoing a revamp.
'We will constitute the state backward classes department in the state in the next (few) weeks. The caste census is a part of the Congress's social justice agenda being pushed for achieving the objective of having an equitable society. We will retain those who have been actively working in the past,' said Anil Jaihind, chairman of the All India Congress Committee's OBC department.
Manoj Yadav, who headed the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee OBC department as its chairman at the time of dissolution, said he has been asked to continue till alternative arrangements. Yadav may be appointed UP OBC department chairman again, those aware of the development said.
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee organised Thank You Rahul Gandhi celebrations for pushing the caste census agenda and compelling the Union government to announce caste-based enumeration with the next caste census. The grand old party is in the process of working out programmes to take the party's social justice agenda to the people.
The Congress Working Committee, at its meeting held in New Delhi on Friday, adopted a resolution demanding quota in private educational institutions.
It also urged the Union government to emulate the party's Telangana model. It resolved 'The Congress Party also demands the urgent implementation of Article 15(5) of the Constitution, which enables the provision of reservations for OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis in private educational institutions.'
Congress Working Committee member Ajay Kumar Lallu said the Union government should give a timeline for completing the caste-based enumeration. He also said the party was in favour of scrapping the 50% quota cap and final touches are being given to programmes to take the party's agenda to the grass roots.

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