Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 23: Despite reluctance of the BJP government at the centre to launch a caste-based census in the county, its ally in Bihar the chief minister Nitish Kumar seems to have decided to go ahead with the move unconcerned about the partner BJP’s stand.
Kumar on Monday hinted that his government would soon start work on a caste census after taking the views of all parties. The all-party meet for the purpose could be held on May 27, Kumar said backing opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav’s demand.
“We will call an all-party meeting to take everyone’s views on a caste-based census. Then the proposal will be presented before the state cabinet. We have spoken to some parties on conducting the meeting on 27 (May) but we are waiting for some parties to respond. After a final decision, the proposal will go to the cabinet and then we will start work,” the chief minister told reporters. “We have started talks with every party. Everyone is not on board. We are waiting for their response,” Nitish Kumar said apparently hinting on his government’s majority partner, the BJP.
“There should be no problem since both houses of legislature in the state have twice passed resolutions favouring a caste census”, Kumar pointed out. The Chief Minister acted reportedly after RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav threatened to seize the campaign with a march to Delhi. Nitish Kumar immediately met with him and reportedly shared a roadmap of a caste census in the state, charging ahead even though he knows it will annoy the BJP.
The RJD alleges it was that meeting which led to the CBI raids on their founder Lalu Yadav, and a fresh corruption case. The BJP wanted to send out a sharp message to Nitish Kumar – in case he planned to cozy up to the RJD — and the raids appeared to be well-timed, the RJD claims.
Nitish Kumar’s deputy, Tarkishor Prasad of the BJP, was noncommittal on whether the BJP agreed with Nitish Kumar on the caste census. “We will discuss it and consider various aspects,” Prasad told reporters. His cautious reply reflected the BJP’s Catch-22 situation on an issue in which all Bihar parties – including the BJP’s state unit — seem to be on the same side, whether in power or in the opposition.
The ruling party is opposed to a caste census, in principle. The Centre has long stated that a caste-based census is a divisive exercise. This has evoked allegations from opposition parties like the RJD that the BJP, which derives its support base from, primarily, among the upper castes, did not care much for the OBCs for whom gains are expected from a headcount of all castes which in turn might annoy the upper castes, the BJP’s strong supporters.
But Bihar political parties argue that knowing the caste constitution of the population will lead to better policies to help the most neglected in the society. Of late there have been attempts by BJP leaders in Bihar, especially those from backward classes, that it was “never” opposed to a caste census even though the Union government might not have taken it up for “practical reasons.”
Last year, a delegation of Bihar politicians, which included Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav, met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to press for a caste census, but Modi has not budged. The last caste-based count was held in 1931. That was under the British rule and when Bihar, Jharkhand and Odisha were one entity.
