PATNA: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Monday said he would convene a meeting of all political parties after completion of assembly by-polls in the state to take a unanimous decision over the demand of holding caste-based census.
He said, “Representatives of all 10 political parties will sit together and hold discussion over caste-based census in Bihar. We will take any decision with the consent of all 10 parties. The meeting will be called after the by-polls.”
State’s two assembly constituencies – Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur- are going to bypolls on October 30. The counting of votes will be held on November 2. It means that the proposed all party meeting would be held after November 2.
To a question, the CM said he would take into account all existing rules and regulations before reaching on any decision on the issue of holding caste-wise census. “We will take any decision only after consulting the leading political parties,” he said.
“I have complete faith that all political parties in the state would reach a consensus on the issue of the caste-wise census. There will be consensus in entire Bihar over this issue,” Nitish said while reiterating his demand for holding caste-wise enumeration of population during the Census-2021.
Nitish further said a delegation of 10 political parties from Bihar had met PM Narendra Modi (on August 23) and explained to him everything in favour of holding caste-based census across the country.
“During our meeting with the PM, We- all political parties from Bihar – demanded that caste-based census must be held across the country. Now, it is up to the Centre to think over our demand and take a decision,” Nitish said.
The long-pending demand for holding caste-wise census was revived again in July this year after the Union government informed in the Lok Sabha that it would not enumerate population caste-wise, except those from the SCs and STs.
Replying to a written query in the Lok Sabha on July 20 this year, Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai (who also hails from Bihar) said that the government of India has decided as a matter of policy not to enumerate caste-wise population other than SCs and STs in census.
