Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on August 25 said the caste-based survey in the State has been completed and the State government would soon make the data public.
He asserted that the caste survey would be beneficial for all sections of the society.
“This caste survey will be beneficial for all and enable the government to work for the development of various sections of society, including those who are deprived. This will help us to know which areas require development. Let the data come and I’m sure that the other States will also follow it,” the JD(U) chief said.
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Asked about political parties questioning the significance of the caste survey, Mr. Kumar said, “The decision to hold the caste survey was taken after all political parties, including the BJP, agreed to it. I am not bothered about what they (BJP) are saying.”
Mr. Kumar also asked, “Why is the Centre maintaining silence over the delay in the decennial Census which should have been completed in 2021?”
Recently, Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta had submitted in the Supreme Court that the caste survey issue may have “ramification and the government should be allowed to file its response on legal issues involved in the case without taking sides”.
The Court granted a week’s time to the Centre to file an affidavit and has set the next hearing for August 28.
On the teachers’ recruitment examination in which over 7.5 lakh applicants appeared for 1.7 lakh posts, Mr. Kumar said, “Examinations are being conducted. I had announced for this on August 15 and am fulfilling it. We will do many more good things for the common people.”
The recruitment examination is being held in the State from August 24 to 27 and applicants from neighbouring States too have come to appear in it. A large number of applicants complained about lack of accommodation and said they had to stay on railway platforms.
‘Lalu being harassed by CBI’
Mr. Kumar also termed ruling alliance partner Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav “bechara” (helpless) who is being “harassed” by the CBI on the direction of the Union government.
“Aise hi bechare ko tang kar raha hai jiska kendra mein sarkar hai aaj-kal… Sab ko to tang hi kar raha hai… Kisi ko chhoda hai? (This helpless man is being harassed unnecessarily by those whose government is at the Centre these days…everyone is being harassed…has anybody been spared?)”, he told reporters.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court, which is hearing the CBI’s plea to cancel Mr. Prasad’s bail in cases linked to the fodder scam, adjourned it till October 17.
