Tejashwi Yadav, the leader of the opposition in Bihar, announced on Friday that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has agreed in principle to discuss the topic of a caste-based census with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Mr Yadav said this to reporters after bringing a delegation of leaders from the five-party Grand Alliance led by his RJD inside the assembly grounds to meet with the chief minister.
The Centre’s recent pronouncement in Parliament that a caste-based census would only include the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes has sparked a new clamour for the inclusion of the OBCs, who now dominate Bihar’s political scene following the Mandal commission report’s implementation.
“Our desire for a caste-based census was met with approval from the chief minister. He stated that he will be going for Delhi later that day. He would write to the Prime Minister to request an appointment when he returns on August 2nd “Mr Yadav stated.
The former Deputy Chief Minister has suggested that the chief minister meet with the Prime Minister, who is leading a group that could include the opposition leader, to discuss the issue.
Mr Kumar, who is from the OBC community, has also spoken out in favour of a caste-based census and recently urged the government to alter its position on the matter.
Furthermore, resolutions in favour of a caste-based census have previously been unanimously passed by both Houses of the state legislature.
Mr. Yadav asserted, “We also suggested that, if the centre does not agree to the demand, the state consider conducting its own exercise, similar to what Karnataka did a few years ago. The Bihar chief minister stated that he was unaware of the situation, but that he would check into it.”
In 2015, a “social and educational survey” was conducted in the southern state.
The Congress, which was in power at the time, is currently feuding with the ruling BJP over the latter’s apparent reluctance to make the survey’s findings public.
Questions about alleged insulting remarks towards Biharis made by a member of the ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal were avoided by the RJD leader.
“I was not present when the statement was made. Yesterday, you (journalists) presented me with a statement purporting to be written by a Trinamool MP in response to the words ascribed to him “, said Mr Yadav, alluding to Mohua Moitra’s contentious remarks.
Nishikant Dubey, a BJP MP from Godda in Jharkhand, accused her of calling him a “Bihari Goonda” during a Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology meeting on Wednesday.
Sushil Kumar Modi and Shahnawaz Hussain, as well as Hindustani Awam Morcha president Jitan Ram Manjhi, have all criticised the alleged disparaging remark.
When reminded that his father, Lalu Prasad, was accused of favouring persons from Bihar during his time as Railway Minister, Mr Yadav responded with a quip “Things like this should not be spoken. People from all throughout the country have the freedom to work anywhere they want or find an opportunity.”
