Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has agreed, in principle, to take up the issue of a caste-based census with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leader of the opposition Tejashwi Yadav claimed on Friday.
Mr Yadav said this while talking to reporters after calling on the chief minister inside the assembly premises, leading a delegation of leaders of the five-party Grand Alliance helmed by his RJD.
The Centre’s recent statement in the Parliament that a caste-based census would include only the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes has triggered a fresh demand for inclusion of the OBCs, who dominate the political scenario in Bihar post implementation of the Mandal commission report.
“The chief minister told us that he agreed with our demand for a caste based census. He said he was leaving for Delhi later in the day. Upon his return on August 02 he will write to the Prime Minister and seek an appointment”, Mr Yadav said.
The former Deputy Chief Minister has been suggesting that the chief minister should meet the PM heading a delegation, which could include the leader of the opposition, to broach the subject.
Notably, Mr Kumar, an OBC himself, too has repeatedly spoken in favour of holding a caste-based census and recently urged the centre to reconsider its stance on the issue.
Besides, resolutions in support of a caste-based census have been passed unanimously by both Houses of the state legislature in the past.
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