Delhi/Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar The issue of caste-based census was raised in the court of the Center on Monday, saying that it is for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to decide on the assessment of the strength of castes.
After meeting the PM with a 10-party delegation to demand caste-based workforce that was discontinued in 1931, Nitish told reporters, “The prime minister listened to all the members of the delegation. caste census. We urged the PM to take an appropriate decision on this. We told them how resolutions on caste census have been passed twice in the state assembly.
The interaction with journalists was marked by a rare sighting of the Bihar CM praising his rival, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad YadavTo take up the idea of taking the all-party delegation to the Prime Minister. Yadav thanked Nitish for heeding the suggestion on his part.
Nitish said the PM listened to all of them patiently and “did not deny what we said (the need for caste census)”.
He said, “The people of Bihar and the entire country have the same opinion on this issue. We are thankful to PM for listening to us. Now, they have to take a decision on it,” Nitish said, adding that his remarks mean that the political responsibility of satisfying the clamor among the numerically dominant intermediate castes to officially estimate their numbers rests with Modi. Is.
While BJP leaders are not against caste-wise counting, the party is wary of making a specific commitment to keep it a nightmare given the sheer nature of the task and its complexities. Sources say that it will certainly not be easy to link it with the upcoming decadal census, for which all preparations have been made. The exercise has already been delayed due to COVID restrictions.
A section of the party, it seems, is also concerned about the prospect of such an exercise hoeing the project to weave a “Hindutva” constituency by cutting caste.
“A message is being spread in Bihar that BJP is against caste based census, which is wrong. We have never been against it. However, caste enumeration may not be possible with the general census,” said a senior official and added that the government may start the process at a later stage.
Nitish said it was a Union minister’s statement that ruled out the possibility of a caste-based enumeration of the population, which acted as a move to organize an all-party delegation. “It worried us because there is unrest among the people. After the statement, all the parties including the opposition took the initiative to meet the Prime Minister.
Nitish was referring to a statement in the Rajya Sabha in July this year in a written reply to junior home minister Nityanand Rai that there is no proposal to release caste-based population data. He said that all the parties of Bihar spoke in one voice on the need for caste based census and said that data of different castes would help in formulating development plans effectively as many of them have so far received benefits commensurate with their actual population. have not received.
Tejashwi said, ‘Our delegation met the PM for the caste-based census not only in Bihar but across the country. We are still waiting for a decision on this.”
BJP’s Janak Ram, who was part of the delegation, said the PM listened to everyone’s views like a “guardian of a family”. “Everyone was satisfied and the Prime Minister’s decision would be acceptable to all,” he said.
A member of the delegation told TOI over phone that state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary made a very strong and convincing argument as to why caste census is necessary for the country.
Chowdhary told the PM that caste figures were also necessary for the proposed sub-categorization of OBCs, as recommended by the Justice Rohini Commission. “If there is no caste-wise division, how can the Center classify different castes under OBCs,” he said, adding, “Caste-wise data will also be required for regular review of the status of different castes. National Commission for Backward Classes”
Choudhary told TOI over phone: “We are hopeful that the unity shown by all political parties in Bihar under Nitish Kumar’s leadership on the demand for caste-wise census will inspire political leaders from other states and they too will join the campaign. . The country.” He said that Bihar has taken the lead on this issue because of Nitish, who has been continuously working for the OBCs, EBCs and other underprivileged people.
Ajeet Sharma (Congress), Mehboob Alam (CPI-ML), Akhtarul Iman (AIMIM), former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM-S), Mukesh Sahani (VIP), Suryakant Paswan (CPI) and Ajay Kumar (CPM) were part of the 11-member delegation.
After meeting the PM with a 10-party delegation to demand caste-based workforce that was discontinued in 1931, Nitish told reporters, “The prime minister listened to all the members of the delegation. caste census. We urged the PM to take an appropriate decision on this. We told them how resolutions on caste census have been passed twice in the state assembly.
The interaction with journalists was marked by a rare sighting of the Bihar CM praising his rival, RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad YadavTo take up the idea of taking the all-party delegation to the Prime Minister. Yadav thanked Nitish for heeding the suggestion on his part.
Nitish said the PM listened to all of them patiently and “did not deny what we said (the need for caste census)”.
He said, “The people of Bihar and the entire country have the same opinion on this issue. We are thankful to PM for listening to us. Now, they have to take a decision on it,” Nitish said, adding that his remarks mean that the political responsibility of satisfying the clamor among the numerically dominant intermediate castes to officially estimate their numbers rests with Modi. Is.
While BJP leaders are not against caste-wise counting, the party is wary of making a specific commitment to keep it a nightmare given the sheer nature of the task and its complexities. Sources say that it will certainly not be easy to link it with the upcoming decadal census, for which all preparations have been made. The exercise has already been delayed due to COVID restrictions.
A section of the party, it seems, is also concerned about the prospect of such an exercise hoeing the project to weave a “Hindutva” constituency by cutting caste.
“A message is being spread in Bihar that BJP is against caste based census, which is wrong. We have never been against it. However, caste enumeration may not be possible with the general census,” said a senior official and added that the government may start the process at a later stage.
Nitish said it was a Union minister’s statement that ruled out the possibility of a caste-based enumeration of the population, which acted as a move to organize an all-party delegation. “It worried us because there is unrest among the people. After the statement, all the parties including the opposition took the initiative to meet the Prime Minister.
Nitish was referring to a statement in the Rajya Sabha in July this year in a written reply to junior home minister Nityanand Rai that there is no proposal to release caste-based population data. He said that all the parties of Bihar spoke in one voice on the need for caste based census and said that data of different castes would help in formulating development plans effectively as many of them have so far received benefits commensurate with their actual population. have not received.
Tejashwi said, ‘Our delegation met the PM for the caste-based census not only in Bihar but across the country. We are still waiting for a decision on this.”
BJP’s Janak Ram, who was part of the delegation, said the PM listened to everyone’s views like a “guardian of a family”. “Everyone was satisfied and the Prime Minister’s decision would be acceptable to all,” he said.
A member of the delegation told TOI over phone that state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary made a very strong and convincing argument as to why caste census is necessary for the country.
Chowdhary told the PM that caste figures were also necessary for the proposed sub-categorization of OBCs, as recommended by the Justice Rohini Commission. “If there is no caste-wise division, how can the Center classify different castes under OBCs,” he said, adding, “Caste-wise data will also be required for regular review of the status of different castes. National Commission for Backward Classes”
Choudhary told TOI over phone: “We are hopeful that the unity shown by all political parties in Bihar under Nitish Kumar’s leadership on the demand for caste-wise census will inspire political leaders from other states and they too will join the campaign. . The country.” He said that Bihar has taken the lead on this issue because of Nitish, who has been continuously working for the OBCs, EBCs and other underprivileged people.
Ajeet Sharma (Congress), Mehboob Alam (CPI-ML), Akhtarul Iman (AIMIM), former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM-S), Mukesh Sahani (VIP), Suryakant Paswan (CPI) and Ajay Kumar (CPM) were part of the 11-member delegation.
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