RJD president Lalu Prasad on Monday charged critics of caste census with being against the humanistic principles of social, economic and political equality and proportionate representation.
The former chief minister of Bihar, one of the tallest leaders to have emerged from the Mandal wave of 1990s, made the declamation in a social media post in Hindi.
The remarks also come in the backdrop of the caste survey conducted in the state, ruled by his adversary-turned-ally Nitish Kumar, in whose government Prasad's son Tejashwi Yadav is the deputy chief minister.
Although the RJD supremo took no names, his outbursts may be seen as a veiled attack on the BJP.
The survey, which has revealed that OBCs and EBCs are a whopping 63 per cent of the population, was ordered by the state government after the Centre made it clear that headcount of castes other than SCs and STs will not be held as part of the census.
However, insisting that a caste survey was needed, Prasad claimed that those opposed to it "do not have an iota of a sense of justice" and "wish to maintain their caste supremacy, from birth till death, by eating into the rights of others".
He added, cryptically, "cancer cannot be treated with a pill meant for a headache".
Both RJD and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U) are a part of the INDIA coalition. The alliance has adopted a resolution stating that if voted to power, it will hold a census of all castes.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Featured Video Of The Day
On Caste Census, Rahul Gandhi Talks Of "Mistake" By UPA While In Power "Will Demolish Artificial Barrier Of 50% Reservations": Rahul Gandhi Lalu Yadav Slams Nitish Kumar For Touching Feet Of BJP Leader In Public Amazon Employee Greets Friend At Wedding, Dies Of Cardiac Arrest AAP's 7 'Revdis' Ahead Of Delhi Polls: Electricity, Education, Water Indian Student In US Accidentally Shoots Himself Dead While Celebrating Birthday 'Can't Say Everything Parliament Did During Emergency Is Void': Top Court London Police Conduct "Controlled Explosion" Outside US Embassy Varun Dhawan Joins LinkedIn, Fans Joke: Do We Need To Send Him Our CVs Now? Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.