Nitish Kumar, Chirag Paswan Thank PM Modi For Caste Data Move; Tejashwi Yadav Claims Victory

Last Updated:April 30, 2025, 18:25 IST

The Centre’s decision to include caste data in the Census was welcomed by Bihar leaders. CM Nitish Kumar, Lalu Yadav, and others praised PM Modi for the move.

The Centre’s announcement to include caste data in the Census was welcomed leaders cutting across party lines by all parties in Bihar, where assembly elections are scheduled to be held later this year.

Castes play a dominant role in politics of Bihar which was the first state in independent India to publish a caste survey in 2023 during the grand alliance regime led by CM Nitish Kumar. The BJP, which has stayed away from nationwide caste census, had also supported the move.

From former Bihar CMs Lalu Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav to chief minister Nitish Kumar, all political leaders have welcomed the Centre’s move.

Kumar commended the central government for the decision and it was a old demand of socialist leaders like him. He said a caste census will help determine the population of different sections, which will facilitate the formulation of plans for their upliftment and development. “This will accelerate the country’s development. Congratulations and thanks to the Honorable Prime Minister, Respected Shri Narendra Modi ji, for the decision to conduct a caste census,” he said.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav said the Janata Dal took the decision to conduct a caste census under his leadership. “What we socialists think about 30 years ago like reservation, caste census, equality, fraternity, secularism etc. are followed by others decades later. When we demanded caste census, we got a befitting reply from those who called us casteist. There is still a lot left. We will keep making these Sanghis dance to our agenda,” he wrote in a post on X.

Tejashwi Yadav said socialist leaders like Lalu Yadav have been demanding for caste census for 30 years.

“It was our 30-year-old demand. It’s a victory for us – the Socialists and Lalu Yadav… Earlier, all the parties from Bihar met the PM, but he denied our demand. Many of the ministers denied this, but this is the strength of ours that they have to work on our agenda,” he said.

Yadav said the caste census must be done before delimitation and then the way Dalits, SCs, STs and Adivasis have reserved seats in parliament and in state assemblies, OBCs and Extremely Backward classes must have reserve seats.

Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party chief Chirag Paswan said he had been demanding caste-based census for a long time in the country. He said many misconceptions were spread between him and the central government regarding the caste census in the last few years. “Today’s decision is a clear answer to all these rumours,” he said.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav claimed the credit for the caste census and said it is victory for unity of his PDA (Pichda, Dalit Adivasi) alliance.

“Due to the combined pressure of all of us, the BJP government has been forced to take this decision. This is a very important phase of PDA’s victory in the fight for social justice. This is a warning to the BJP government to keep its electoral rigging away from the caste census. Only an honest census will ensure that every caste gets its rights and entitlements in proportion to its population, which the dominant castes have been eyeing till now. This is the first phase of a positive democratic movement for rights and the last phase of BJP’s negative politics. BJP’s hegemonic thinking will surely come to an end. Manvidhan cannot last long in front of the Constitution. This is India’s victory!” Yadav said.

Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary thanked and congratulated PM Narendra Modi for the decision to include caste census in national census.

Union Minister Nityanand Rai, who hails from Bihar, said the decision shows that the present government is committed to the all-around development and values ​​of the country and society. “Even in the past, when 10% reservation was provided to the poor sections of the society, it was widely accepted in the society, and no social tension was created. Many thanks to the Prime Minister,” he said.