Nitish Kumar said, "Caste census used to happen earlier, happened under the British rule too".
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar -- one of the key leaders demanding a caste-based census -- pushed for it once again today, saying apprehension that such a census will upset a group of people is baseless. "It is up to the Centre to do a caste census or not... our job is to put forth our views. Do not think that one caste will like and another will not... It is in everyone's interest," he told reporters today, hardening stance after his parliamentary party delegation's request to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on this issue was turned down.
Mr Kumar has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking time for an all party delegation to meet him on this issue.
Concern about a caste-based census creating tension is wrong, he said. "No tension will be created in the society. There will be happiness... People from every strata will be considered," he told reporters.
Bihar BJP chief Dr Sanjay Jaiswal had recently said it might have adverse impact on social amity.
The Chief Minister also pointed out that none of the BJP MLAs raised any issue when the Bihar assembly passed a resolution demanding caste-based census and sent it to Centre. "Then why objections are being raised from some quarters is beyond my understanding," he said.
"Caste census used to happen earlier too. It happened under the British rule too... at least once it should happen now," he added.
Not just Mr Kumar, several Bihar leaders, cutting across party lines, have demanded a caste-based census, which has not happened in India since the British period.
After Independence, leaders like BR Ambedkar had argued that such a census will stand in the way of an equitable society. This is why at every census since, only Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have been counted.
But before every census, a demand is raised – usually by leaders who have the support of backward classes -- for a caste-based census.
This time, HAM (Hindustan Awam Morcha) chief and former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi made the demand. So did Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Ramdas Athawale.
Leader of the opposition, Rashtriya Janata Dal's Yejashwi Yadav, has asked the Nitish Kumar government to conduct such an exercise "on its own" if the Centre refuses to budge from its stand. Tejaswi Yadav has also announced that on August 7 -- marked as Mandal Divas after the Mandal Commission recommendations -- his party will organise a dharna across the state to press for this demand.
The Centre has made it clear that it is not keen on such a census.
Last month, in response to a question in Lok Sabha, junior home minister Nityanand Rai said: "The Government of India has decided as a matter of policy not to enumerate caste-wise population other than SCs and STs in Census".