Bihar Congress chief Rajesh Kumar beating drums at the party office in Patna on Thursday along with fellow Congress workers.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Political leaders in Bihar are jostling to claim credit for the Centre’s decision to go with caste enumeration in the forthcoming Census.
Ruling Janata Dal (United) leaders on Thursday claimed that it was Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s initiative of carrying out a caste-based survey in Bihar that led to the Union government going ahead with caste enumeration in the Census.
The decision comes ahead of State Assembly elections that are due in Bihar later this year.
Expressing happiness over the caste Census, Bihar JD(U) chief Umesh Kushwaha said that Mr. Kumar laid the foundation of the caste Census from Bihar. “It is a matter of pride for all Biharis that a historic step like caste Census started from Bihar under the visionary leadership of Nitishji and the same thinking and resolve is being adopted at the national level,” Mr. Kushwaha said while addressing the press at the party office along with other leaders.
Senior JD(U) leader and Cabinet Minister Vijay Choudhary asserted that the Opposition was pretending to forcibly take credit for the caste Census, while the truth is that its initiative and its entire leadership in Bihar was carried out by Mr. Kumar.
Mr. Choudhary pointed out that the role of the Opposition was limited to merely giving support to the Bihar CM over the issue of caste Census. “The initiation and implementation of this historic decision were done by the Nitish [Kumar] government. There is a big difference between giving support and starting an initiative,” Mr. Choudhary explained.
He added that in 2019-20, Mr. Kumar was the first to raise the demand that the decennial Census 2021 should include caste component as well.
Mr. Choudhary claimed that the Bihar CM had proposed to give first priority to the caste Census in the initial meeting of the INDIA bloc, however Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had rejected it.
Bihar Congress leaders on the other hand said that the credit goes to Mr. Gandhi. Congress in-charge Krishna Allavaru and State president Rajesh Kumar celebrated the decision of the Union government to conduct caste enumeration at the State Congress headquarters Sadaquat Ashram on Thursday. Mr. Rajesh Kumar was seen playing drums at the party headquarters.
There was a festive atmosphere as the party workers poured milk and showered roses on the life-size statue of Bhimrao Ambedkar located in the garden of Sadaquat Ashram and the picture of Mr. Gandhi.
“Our leader Rahul Gandhi kept on calling caste Census as the need of the country and fought for it nationwide. He raised his voice from every platform and even after the elections, he kept on pressuring the government in the House,” Mr. Allavaru said.
He added that due to the efforts of Mr. Gandhi, the Union government went on the backfoot and accepted his demand and decided to conduct a caste Census.
“It would be a very important step in the fight for social justice and also, our leader Rahul Gandhi has shown that even while sitting in the Opposition, the Congress is committed to showing direction to the country and is capable of getting its public welfare work done,” Mr. Rajesh said.
On the other hand, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said it would be important to see when the Census would be conducted as it has already been delayed by four years.
Asked about the Bihar BJP leader saying that Prime Minister Modi has fulfilled the desires of Mr. Gandhi and Lalu Prasad by declaring a caste Census, Mr. Yadav said: “Laluji always struggled for the caste Census — be it in the house or road. Thirty years back, Lalu raised the voice for the caste Census.”
“Laluji had already said that he will make the RSS and BJP people hold their ears and do squats to conduct a caste Census. Who were the people opposing caste Census for so many years. After the caste-based survey, why the reservation increased to 65% was not included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution? It would be important to see when the caste Census would be conducted as it has already been delayed by four years,” the RJD leader added.
Published – May 02, 2025 04:00 am IST
