Opposition leader in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav on Friday wrote a letter to the Prime Minister on the State’s unanimous demand for a caste-based Census. Mr. Yadav also expressed surprise over Mr. Modi’s lack of response to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s letter sent to him a week ago, seeking an appointment to discuss a caste-based Census.
“I have written to the Prime Minister to conduct a caste-based Census as the Bihar Legislature had earlier unanimously passed this resolution twice. But I wonder that the Prime Minister did not even think of responding Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s letter seeking an appointment over the issue. And this is despite the people of Bihar voting for the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government in the last Parliamentary poll, giving it 39 out of the total 40 seats. It is an insult to the CM and to Bihar as well,” Mr. Yadav said.
He also said, “If PM Modi will not listen to our demand, we will have no other option except to sit in dharna (protest) at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.”
Earlier, during the monsoon session of the State Legislature, all Opposition party leaders had met Mr. Kumar to arrive at a unanimous decision to meet Mr. Modi over their demand for a caste-based Census. “The State BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leaders too had supported the resolution passed in the State Legislature earlier over the demand for a caste-based Census but now they may have been supporting their party line. I hope, if things come to a pass, they too will join us our dharna New Delhi,” Mr. Yadav said, taking a jibe at the State BJP leaders.