BJP's Om Mathur hails govt for releasing religion-based census

BJP national vice-president and Uttar Pradesh incharge Om Mathur today said NDA government has given a befitting reply to political parties who have been demanding the release of caste-based census data public by releasing population figures based on religion.
"By making religion-based data public, our government has given a befitting reply to political parties creating hue and cry over release of caste-based data," Mathur said while addressing a function to mark silver jubliee of party magazine 'Kamal Jyoti'.
The BJP leader said though the fresh report pointed towards increasing religious imbalance, it was a matter of relief that 57 per cent of the country's population was below 35 years of age.

"We have to make our youth power active by rising above caste and religion and concentrate on making the country strong in economic and other matters before this ratio start reversing," he said.
Giving example of Bihar where BJP won 13 of 24 seats in the Legislative Council polls as compared to grand alliance of RJD, JDU and Congress, and civic polls in Karnataka, Mathur said that the atmosphere was in favour of the party.
"1.7 crore members have been verified in UP and through Mahasampark Abhiyaan," he said, adding, workers were being trained to ensure BJP would be able to form corruption-free and equable nationalist government in the state in 2017.

Former MP Lalji Tandon, first editor of 'Kamal Jyoti', said BJP has been a cadre-based organistion since Jan Sangh era. "The party has sufficient number of able workers, who are working to build the nation on the basis of nationalist programme, policies and ideology," he said.