After bid to woo upper castes, Tejashwi raises caste census demand again

On Tuesday, Yadav had attended an event organised by Bhumihar-Brahmin Ekta Manch on the occasion of Parshuram Jayanti in Patna where the 32-year-old RJD scion urged Bhumihars to come to the RJD fold.

A day after reaching out to Bhumihars, an influential upper caste in Bihar, opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Wednesday reiterated his demand for a headcount of Other Backward Classes (OBCs), saying he will “not allow any census in Bihar” unless the Centre acceded to the demand for coming out with the numbers of OBCs, besides the SCs and the STs.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav addresses a gathering during Parshuram Jayanti in Patna on Tuesday. (Santosh Kumar)

In a tweet from his official handle, Yadav, who is also leader of opposition in the Bihar assembly, accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of having an anti-social justice mindset.

“BJP has been an anti-social justice party. Two times resolutions have been passed unanimously by the Bihar assembly in favour of a caste census. But the Centre, and Union minister Mr Rai have shown their reluctance in writing. Without this, we will not allow any census in Bihar,” he said in the tweet, referring to union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai, incidentally himself an OBC from Bihar.

“BJP and union minister of state for home had given in writing that no caste census will be done,” Yadav said, referring to statement of Rai last year in Parliament where he said the government of India had decided not to have caste enumeration except for scheduled castes (SCs) and scheduled tribes (STs) as a matter of policy.

Last year, Yadav, along with chief minister Nitish Kumar, had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand a caste census along with national census. Later, Kumar had announced holding an all-party meeting in Bihar to discuss viability of holding a caste census in Bihar at state’s cost.

On Tuesday, Yadav had attended an event organised by Bhumihar-Brahmin Ekta Manch on the occasion of Parshuram Jayanti in Patna where the 32-year-old RJD scion urged Bhumihars to come to the RJD fold.

“Come with us and give me one opportunity. I will not let you down. A person who admits mistakes is considered as a good man,” Yadav said at the event.

“Tejashwi is now looking to revive the Mandal politics because by BJP’s growing popularity among backward classes and its attempt to slowly project MOS (Home) Nitaynand Rai in a big way in Bihar. Caste census is a ready tool to mobilise backward classes,” said Nawal Kishore Choudhary, a political analyst and former principal of Patna College.

State BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand dismissed Yadav’s demand for a caste census. “RJD uses caste census demand as a means to open a political pandora box.Whenever the party faces any political crisis, internal feud or erosion in its base , it raises the demand to appease voters,” said Anand.