PATNA: A credit war has begun between the ruling NDA and opposition parties in Bihar after the Centre announced on Wednesday its decision to conduct a caste census along with the general census. The announcement comes ahead of the assembly elections scheduled for October-November this year.
While the main opposition party, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), claimed that the Centre had conceded to its long-pending demand, the ruling JD(U) thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Centre's decision to conduct a caste census alongside the general census.
In what appeared to be an attempt by the Centre to outwit the opposition Mahagathbandhan, or grand alliance, by announcing the caste census, RJD chief Lalu Prasad said in a social media post on X that the decision showed how "Sanghis" were dancing to their agenda.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad said, “When I was the national president of Janata Dal, our United Front government in Delhi had decided in 1996-97 to conduct a caste census during the 2001 general census, which was later not implemented by the Vajpayee-led NDA government.”
“We raised a strong demand in Parliament for a caste census again during the 2011 census. The first caste survey of the country was also conducted in Bihar during our 17-month-long Mahagathbandhan government. When we demanded a caste census, we were labeled casteist. There is still a lot left to be done. We will continue making these Sanghis dance to our agenda,” he added.
RJD leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav said, “Our ideological victory, our fight for social justice, has now reached the next stage.
Whatever we do today, others begin to think about it 35-40 years later. Now, we will push for reservation of seats for backward and most backward classes in the Vidhan Sabha, Vidhan Parishad, Lok Sabha, and Rajya Sabha. Many recommendations of the Mandal Commission are yet to be implemented. Long live social justice.”
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, while supporting the Centre’s decision on social media platform X, said, “The central government’s decision to conduct a caste census is welcome. Our demand for conducting a caste census is longstanding. It is a matter of great happiness that the Centre has agreed.”
He further stated, “Conducting a caste census will reveal the number of people belonging to different social classes, which will help in planning for their upliftment and development. This will accelerate the development of the country. Congratulations and thanks to the Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for the decision.”
Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has also been consistently attacking the BJP and its allies, particularly JD(U), for not placing amended reservation laws under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution, which would shield them from judicial scrutiny.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has also repeatedly demanded a caste census from the Centre during his public meetings, describing it as an “X-ray and MRI of society.”
Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, however, said that the announcement of a caste census along with the general census would not serve any purpose unless policies are framed based on the outcomes of the census report. “It will be beneficial for the country only when policies are formulated on the basis of the census results,” he told the media.
