New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS): Senior Congress leader and former Lok Sabha MP Udit Raj expressed his happiness on Monday over the RSS agreeing to a caste-based census, declaring it a victory for his party and Rahul Gandhi.

In an interview with IANS, Udit Raj said that the BJP tried very hard to block this decision, but now they have been forced to face reality. If the RSS has accepted the caste-based census, then the BJP will have to follow suit, he said.

IANS: The RSS held a meeting in Kerala, and after that, a statement came out saying that the RSS is ready for a caste-based census but only for public welfare, not for political use. What do you have to say about this?

Udit Raj: They have finally come down to reality, even after trying so hard to block the caste-based census by saying it would increase casteism. But now they have had to approve it. When the RSS says something, it is as good as the BJP saying it. This is a major victory for Congress and Rahul Gandhi. If they had agreed earlier, it would have been better. We only wanted data collection through the caste-based census to uplift the weaker and backward sections. They opposed it, but today, they have surrendered because they lost everything else. This is a big win for Congress.

IANS: The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath said that saints and sadhus do not enter politics for power but for the welfare of society. What do you have to say?

Udit Raj: First of all, I would say that he should leave politics and go to Haridwar or Rishikesh. The role of saints and sadhus is to perform religious duties and spread religion. According to our Constitution, religion and the state are separate, our Constitution is secular, and the state has no religion. They are forcibly occupying positions where religion has no place. On the other hand, they claim to represent Hindutva. So, they should step away from politics. In Hinduism, there is so much casteism and other social evils, that he should focus on addressing those instead of getting entangled in politics.

IANS: The Supreme Court on Monday heard a case on 'bulldozer actions' and criticised that actions should not be taken based on accusations alone. What is your opinion on this?

Udit Raj: The point is that whether it's an accusation or even if the accusation is proven, if bulldozer actions are allowed, then what is the need for the Constitution or courts? Bulldozer's actions are a sign of dictatorship in this country. There is no respect for the Constitution. Decisions like demolishing a house, sending someone to jail, or imposing a fine should be made by the courts, not based on the orders of politicians or the government. If actions are taken on their command, then what is the point of having laws?

IANS: In Gurugram, former Haryana Minister Rao Narbir Singh has said that if he doesn't get a BJP ticket, he will contest the elections from Congress. What do you say about this?

Udit Raj: There is a lot of turmoil within the BJP in Haryana, but the media doesn't highlight it. Many people want to join Congress, and even the BJP has admitted that they might not win the elections. One reason is that the elections are on October 5, and mentally, they have already accepted defeat. That's why they were asking for the election date to be extended, which eventually happened. Didn't the Election Commission know there was a holiday? But they had to extend it under the BJP's pressure. So, there is a lot of unrest and dissatisfaction within the BJP.