File photo of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with JD(U) working president Sanjay Jha.
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Janata Dal (United) on Sunday (January 19, 2025) accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of hypocrisy on the issue of caste census, charging him with maintaining silence when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar raised the matter in INDIA bloc meetings.
The party also asked why the Congress government in Karnataka has not released the state’s caste data.
JD(U) working president and MP Sanjay Jha’s attack on the Congress leader came a day after Mr. Gandhi slammed the caste survey carried out by the Kumar-led government as a fake exercise at an event in Patna, while pitching for a nationwide caste census.
Speaking to PTI, Mr. Jha said, “There cannot be a bigger hypocrisy than this. I was a witness to Gandhi maintaining silence while Mr. Kumar strongly and logically spoke in favour of caste census at INDIA bloc meetings in several places.” Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) was part of the INDIA bloc before he snapped ties with the Opposition alliance and joined hands with the BJP.
Incidentally, Bihar’s caste survey was carried out and its findings released when the Congress was a partner in the government led by Mr. Kumar.
Mr. Jha said Mr. Kumar was the only leader who raised the issue of caste census, and all INDIA bloc members were a witness.
Defending the caste survey in Bihar, he said Mr. Kumar is the only leader since 1931, when a nationwide caste census was held last, who decided to count the population of different castes in a scientific manner to further social justice.
Taking a swipe at Mr. Gandhi, he said the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha should be more specific and tell people if he believes that the Bihar’s caste survey has overcounted some communities and undercounted some others.
He should not instead skirt the issue, Mr. Jha said, adding that Mr. Kumar has used the figures to expand the scope of reservation though the issue is currently sub-judice.
Slamming the Congress, he said its government in Karnataka has been sitting over the caste-wise population data in the state for several years. “Why does Gandhi not get it released,” he asked.
Published – January 19, 2025 01:03 pm IST
