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As the BJP and the opposition INDIA alliance are at loggerheads over the caste-based census, Janta Dal United (JDU) leader Neeraj Kumar has alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi belonged to upper caste and he misled the voters by claming that he belonged to OBC.
Neeraj Kumar questioned, "If Narendra Modi's caste is Modh Bania, then he was not backward socially or educationally. Then how did Narendra Modi include himself in OBC? How is that caste included in OBC? When was the social or economic survey done? Where is the report of that survey? Narendra Modi is a 'Vote ka saudagar' and he said in Kannauj that he comes from the OBC category. Where is the notification that says that people of his caste and community are included in OBC? He is a 'Vote ka Saudagar' which is why he does not want caste-based census." Neeraj Kumar alleged that PM Modi belonged to a forward-class Modh Bania caste and this was also claimed by his ancestors. He further said, "If a caste-based census takes place, then his social truth would be open about how Narendra Modi has cheated... We want to ask the BJP if our allegation is true... He misused political power and included his caste in OBC... PM Modi has lied... On April 27, 2019, PM Modi said in a public rally in Kannauj that he belongs to the OBC category." Earlier, the Bihar government released caste survey data with figures that may have ramifications for the Lok Sabha polls next year, showing that Other Backward Castes (OBC) and Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) together account for 63 per cent of the state's population. According to the data, Scheduled Castes make up 19.65 per cent and the Scheduled Tribes 1.68 per cent of the population of Bihar. The data also said that the Hindus comprise 81.99 per cent of the population, Muslims 17.7 per cent, Christians 0.05 per cent, Sikhs 0.01 per cent, Buddhists 0.08 per cent and other religions 0.12 per cent. The data said that Yadavs, the OBC group to which Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav belongs, is the largest and accounts for 14.27 per cent of the state's population. Kushwaha and Kurmi communities form 4.27 per cent and 2.87 per cent of the population, the caste survey said. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar belongs to the Kurmi community in the state. The total population of Bihar is more than 13 crore. (ANI)
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