A scramble for credit has ensued following the central government's decision on caste census. Tejashwi Yadav attributed it to Lalu Prasad, while JDU leader Vijay Kumar Choudhary credited Nitish Kumar. RaloMo decided to organize a gratitude march to express its thanks to PM Modi.
Patna: Political activity in Bihar has intensified regarding the caste census, as a rush to claim credit for the central government's decision has begun. Tejashwi Yadav, leader of the main opposition party RJD, is crediting his father, Lalu Prasad Yadav, for the decision. Meanwhile, leaders of the ruling JDU credit Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Vijay Kumar Choudhary, a senior JDU leader, claims Nitish Kumar initiated the move, while the opposition merely offered support.
Real Credit Goes to CM Nitish: JDU Leader
Vijay Kumar Choudhary explicitly stated that the opposition is engaging in a hypocritical claim to credit. He asserted that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's leadership was paramount on the issue of caste census. He first raised this demand in 2019-20 for a caste-based census. At that time, the Bihar Legislative Assembly unanimously approved it under the NDA government.
This demand, raised by Nitish Kumar, was first implemented in Bihar in 2022 when he proposed the caste census. However, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee opposed it.
Tejashwi Yadav's Claim: Lalu Prasad's Victory
Conversely, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav gave full credit for the decision to his father, Lalu Prasad Yadav. He claims it is the result of Lalu Prasad's long struggle. Speaking to the media, Tejashwi Yadav said, “This caste census is a victory for us, and it is a cause for concern for those who accused us of spreading casteism.”
He also stated that it would not be possible to bring backward castes into the mainstream until the correct number of castes is known. He also mentioned his father's significant comment where Lalu Prasad stated he would get the caste census done through the RSS and BJP.
RaloMo's Gratitude March: Thanking PM Modi
Upendra Kushwaha, president of RaloMo (Rashtriya Lok Morcha), announced a gratitude march on May 3rd. Through this march, his party decided to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government for the caste census. This march will originate from all district headquarters of the state, serving as an expression of gratitude from his party to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his associates.
