Tejashwi Yadav slams Centre for not conducting caste-based census

Taking to Twitter, Yadav shared a video clip from his speech in Bihar Assembly and asked why the Centre wants to deprive 70 per cent of the population of the backward/most backward people of their rights.

He said that the Bihar Assembly passed a proposal demanding a caste-based census twice but the Centre refused to consider it.

"We have sent the proposal of caste census from Bihar Assembly twice unanimously and sent it to the central government but the central government does not want to conduct caste calculation/census? Why does the central government want to deprive 70 per cent of the population of the backward/most backward people of their rights? Does BJP not consider 70 per cent of the population as Hindus?," said Tejashwi Yadav in a tweet roughly translated from Hindi.

Earlier on Saturday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar reiterated his demand for a caste-based census in the state at least once, saying it will help in the development and welfare of people in the state.

"We have already kept our thoughts about the caste-based census in the House in February 2019 and 2020. The caste-based census must be done at least once. Through it, they can gain benefits from schemes. If we know the exact number, we can work towards their betterment," Kumar had said. (ANI)