Samajwadi Party (SP) president and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav on Friday demanded that a caste column be included in the State Industrial Register (SIR) form, arguing that such a move would enable the government to formulate more effective policies and ensure equitable implementation of welfare schemes.

Speaking at a press conference at the SP headquarters in Lucknow, Akhilesh said,

“In such a large-scale process like SIR, there should be a separate column for caste. It will aid in conducting a caste-based survey, which will help in better planning for development and social justice.”

The SP chief urged the state government to consider his proposal seriously, stressing that accurate caste-based data would be instrumental in ensuring social equity and economic progress.

Turning his criticism toward the Yogi Adityanath government, Yadav condemned the recent Rs 30 per quintal hike in sugarcane prices, calling it “meagre and inadequate.”

“The increase should have been higher so that farmers can actually become prosperous,” he said, further criticising the government for publishing advertisements about the price hike in English newspapers. “How many farmers can read English? This shows the government’s disconnect with rural India,” he added.

Akhilesh also raised concerns over the closure of the Bahraich sugar mill, alleging that the owners absconded with crores owed to farmers.

“These people are protected by the government, which is now preparing to sell mandis too,” he charged.

In a broader attack on the ruling BJP, the SP leader accused the state administration of fostering unprecedented levels of corruption. Citing the Akhilesh Dubey case in Kanpur, he alleged that corrupt officials and influential figures are being shielded.

“When the car of gangster Vikas Dubey was overturned, it was done to save the government. Now corrupt officials are being protected in the same manner,” he said.