Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday said that he had written a letter seeking an appointment with the Prime Minister on a caste-based census.
“I have sent letter to the Prime Minister and once he gives an appointment, we will take the matter forward,” Mr. Kumar told mediapersons in Patna, after undertaking an aerial survey of flood-affected districts, including Patna, Gaya, Nalanda and Jehanabad.
Earlier, the Bihar Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Tejashwi Yadav had urged Mr. Kumar to lead an all-party delegation to the PM on their demand of for a caste-based census. The State legislature, too, had earlier passed a unanimous resolution supporting the caste-based census.
Days back, Mr. Kumar had also said that if the Centre would not agree to their request for a caste-based census, the State government had options to conduct one on its own. Janata Dal-United (JD-U) MPs, sources said, had earlier denied meeting with the PM on the issue, and were told to meet Home Minister Amit Shah instead. Newly appointed JD(U) president and party MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh had met with Mr. Shah recently in Delhi and discussed the issue.
However, some State Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have been saying that a caste-based census would create “tension in society”. But JD(U) and Opposition leaders in Bihar have been saying that “no tension will be created in society because of this as people from every strata of society will benefit”. Barring the BJP, all political parties in Bihar have demanded a caste-based census of India. The BJP is a ruling alliance partner of the JD(U); the Jitan Ram Manjhi-led Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular); and Mukesh Sahani’s Vikashil Insaan Party.
