NDA, Grand Alliance spar over 'caste census credit' in Bihar; JD-U leader slams Oppn

Patna, May 3 (IANS) With the Central government's announcement of a nationwide caste-based census, political tensions have escalated in Bihar with leaders from both the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Grand Alliance vying to claim credit.

In a sharp political attack, Janata Dal-United MLC and National Spokesperson, Neeraj Kumar, on Friday accused opposition leaders of misleading the public and reframed the debate around the legacy of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Addressing a press conference held at Nawada Circuit House on Friday, Neeraj Kumar targeted the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad, Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling their stance as one focused on "property census" rather than genuine social justice.

"If PM Modi is there, it is possible to conduct caste census, and if CM Nitish Kumar is there, it is certain," he said, echoing the NDA's narrative.

"Nitish Kumar is among the first leaders to raise the demand for a caste census, back in 1990 when he was the Union Agriculture Minister. While the nation remained silent, he spoke up for social justice," he added.

In a scathing critique of the RJD leadership, Kumar alleged that Lalu Prasad's focus shifted from social causes after the fodder scam surfaced, and now the Opposition's agenda revolves around personal wealth.

"Lalu Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, and Rahul Gandhi are more concerned about a property census than caste census. They fear their assets might be exposed in states beyond Bihar," the JD-U leader said.

The press conference comes a day after the Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary announced that NDA leaders would conduct statewide outreach to educate citizens about the caste census and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pivotal role in its decision.

JD-U leader Neeraj Kumar's visit to Nawada was part of this campaign.

The event saw participation from several key political leaders, including BJP MLA Aruna Devi and district presidents of all NDA alliance partners.

The political slugfest over the caste census has intensified since its announcement by the Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, with both the NDA and Grand Alliance attempting to frame the census move as a fulfilment of their own long-standing agenda.

The issue is rapidly emerging as a central theme in the run-up to the Bihar Assembly elections, with social justice, representation, and economic equity at the heart of the political discourse.

--IANS

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