In a recent press conference, Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister, Tejashwi Yadav, vehemently refuted allegations made by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies, claiming that the findings of the caste survey were tampered with to favor his Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) party’s prospects.
Addressing reporters, Yadav asserted that historically, his caste has been the most populous, a fact even validated by the 1931 census. He challenged the BJP to advocate for a nationwide caste census if they were dissatisfied with the state government’s efforts.
“Yadavs comprised 11 percent of Bihar’s population in 1931, a time when Odisha and Jharkhand were part of Bihar. Nearly a century later, they are reported to be at 14 percent. This is not an irregularity,” Yadav contended.
Furthermore, Yadav emphasized that if the state government had intended to manipulate statistics for electoral advantage, they would have inflated the numbers of the Chief Minister’s caste as well.
The survey results indicate that Kurmis, the caste to which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar belongs, constitute less than 3 percent of Bihar’s current population.
Yadav acknowledged the Chief Minister’s initiative to conduct the survey and mentioned that it became necessary due to the central government’s reluctance to hold a caste census for the entire nation.
“In my perspective, the data collected as part of the survey is accurate. If the BJP disagrees, they should conduct their own caste census through their central government,” the RJD leader concluded.
Yadav also criticized BJP President JP Nadda for making critical remarks about regional parties at a recent event he attended.
“Nadda should remember that states are integral to the nation, and parties like ours have a deeper understanding of on-ground realities compared to the BJP,” Yadav asserted.
