Nitish to meet PM on Aug 23 to discuss caste-based census

The Bihar assembly has passed two resolutions seeking a caste-based census, something the Union government has sought to avoid, given the sensitivity of the matter.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will head an all-party delegation from the state to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 23 to discuss the demand for a caste-based census.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar (HT_PRINT)

“I had sought time from the PM to meet him with a delegation. The PM has given time of August 23. Many thanks to him “ Kumar tweeted on Thursday.

The CM, who called on governor Phagu Chauhan in the afternoon, said the names of delegation members would soon be finalised and sent to the PM. “Tejashwi Prasad Yadav (of the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal) will also go. He along with other members of the Opposition met me on this issue during the monsoon session. It is an issue on which all the parties are one. The BJP is also finalising the name (of its representative in the delegation),” he added.

Yadav, leader of Opposition in the state, confirmed his presence at the meeting.

The Bihar assembly has passed two resolutions seeking a caste-based census, something the Union government has sought to avoid, given the sensitivity of the matter.

The demand for a caste-based census comes from a belief that the current reservation (or quota) regime is skewed and not representative of the current composition of the population.

Earlier this week, Kumar praised the PM for removing the confusion on a state’s right to decide on other backward classes (OBCs) and said he was hopeful of getting him to discuss the matter related to caste-based census as well. His reference is to the 127th Constitution Amendment passed by Parliament in the monsoon session that concluded last week, and which restores the rights of states to identify and maintain a list of backward classes.

“In Bihar, then CM Karpoori Thakur created a separate category for extremely backward classes (EBCs). Different states have done it differently, as they were empowered to do so. There was, however, some confusion for the last few years. After the court order, the Centre decided to clear it that states continue to have the right,” he said.

He said that any decision on a caste-based census would be taken only after discussing the matter with PM. “Doing it at the state level will not be census. It will be counting only, as some states did in the past,” he said.