PATNA: Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav is attempting to create a national consensus on caste census. He has written letters to 33 leaders in this regard. Political mercury in Bihar suddenly shot up on Saturday, September 25, 2021. This, after the Centre’s declared inability to conduct the caste census as part of the 2021-national census in the Supreme Court. Yadav, without waiting for the response from CM Nitish Kumar, launched a ‘letter-war’ against the Centre on the caste census on OBCs as part of the ongoing nation census 2021.
By writing to the country’s 33 senior leaders-mostly of the anti-BJP parties, with the only exception of Bihar CM Nitish and NDA ally HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi, Yadav requested the leaders to have a united effort.
“There have been considerable debates recently on the importance of the caste census. There is not a single rational reason against the desirability of caste. Before the exercise begins we must urge the Centre to include within the delayed 2021 census the caste census as well,” Yadav has stated in his letter.
“The census of India must deliberate upon the flaws in the way it conducted the first Socio-Economic and Caste Census (SECC) in 2011 with the help of experts. This will ensure that the error-ridden process which rendered the data useless can be corrected. This will also prevent a colossal waste and a fraud on the most disadvantaged people of our country,” Yadav said.
He said the demand for the caste-based census should be seen as a necessary step in nation-building. “The ruling party doesn’t have a single rational reason against not conducting the caste census,” Tejashwi stated in the letter.
MANJHI ADVISES RJD LEADER NOT TO PLAY POLITICS
Former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi, however, asked Tejashwi Yadav not to do politics on the issue as CM Nitish Kumar would take initiative on the caste census to a fruitful end. “I think, it is very important to talk to the Prime Minister on this subject through an all-party meeting again,” he told the media. Meanwhile, Nitish Kumar left for New Delhi on Saturday for attending a high-level meeting called by Home Minister Amit Shah with 10 CMs of naxal-affected states on Sunday and thereafter to meet with some BJP leaders to discuss the caste census. Sources said that Nitish Kumar after coming back from New Delhi may put his statement on Monday on the issue. “This is the first time Tejashwi taking a lead in demanding caste census without waiting for the response of CM Nitish Kumar. It shows how desperate he,” said a JDU leader.