Caste census: Modi meets Nitish; to take final call

Yuvavani.com

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gave a patient hearing to the delegation of over 10 political parties including BJP allies JD(U), RJD, HUM and others headed by the Bihar’s Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Nitish Kumar sought time to meet the Prime Minister on the issue with the delegation.

Showing a rare solidarity on the issue of caste census among these political parties, led by the Chief Miniser Nitish Kumar, reached to the South Block today and met the PM Modi. However, decision has to be taken by the Prime Minister on the issue. Later on, Nitish Kumar told the media that delegation presented its view on the caste census and it is upto the Prime Minister to take a call on the issue. The caste census is considered as crucial considering the upcoming state and general elections. It is notable that state BJP was also the part of the delegation.

Later on, leader of the opposition in the state Tejaswi Yadav also briefed the media and said that the caste census was also enumerated earlier but data did not make public. He said that the data is important for running welfare schemes for the various section of the society.   

Earlier, Modi government told the Parliament last month that government had decided to not conduct a caste census. However, caste-wise data of Dalits and Adivasis will continue to be the part of the consensus, as it is the part of the practice since independence and during the British era.

The answer given by through a written reply by the Union minister of state for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai in the Parliament although did not attracted much debate amid the snooping row but several other political parties too have demanded for caste census including Samajwadi Party, RPI even some faction of BJP too. The demand by the other political parties have been raised as caste is not only a social factor but it also impacts on employment and other government schemes as well as popular politics in both northern as well as southern part of the country.

(An independent pvt. initiative)