Narendra Modi govt to conduct caste-wise census in 2021, says Bihar deputy CM Sushil Kumar

Patna: Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday said that Narendra Modi government has taken a decision to conduct caste-wise census in 2021, after the last one under British rule in 1931. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, during his weekly Lok Samvad programme on 21 January, had also favoured caste-wise census in 2021. “After the first caste-census in 1931, the Narendra Modi government has taken a decision to conduct caste-wise census in 2021. “After the 2021 caste-census, the central government, if needed, will bring constitutional amendment bill to increase the reservation cap in order to provide reservation in proportion to the various castes,” Sushil Modi said. [caption id=“attachment_4742101” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi. PTI[/caption] Sushil Modi, who also holds finance department in Bihar, said while addressing a function organised by BJP’s Extremely Backward Class Morcha to celebrate ‘Jannayak Karpoori Thakur birth anniversary’ in Patna. Nitish, during his Lok Samvad programme had said that it will be better if all the castes are provided quota in proportion to their population. The caste-wise counting of people should be done during the decadal census of 2021, he had said. Sushil Modi asked the Congress, which ruled over 45 years at the Centre, why it did not carry out caste-wise census after 1931. Why did it not provide reservation to economically-weaker sections among upper castes, the deputy chief minister said, further asking why Congress did not implement the recommendations of Mandal and Mungeri Lal Commissions. It also did not provide constitutional status to Commission for Backward Class, he said. Coming down heavily on RJD, which ruled for 15 years in the state, Sushil Modi asked why it did not give reservation to scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and Extremely Backward Class (EBC) in panchayat polls held after 27 years in 2003. Stating that 20 percent and 17 percent reservation is given to EBC and SC/ST respectively in panchayat polls in Bihar at present, Sushil Modi said that “there is scope to increase 13 percent reservation in panchayat polls which will be done by next panchayat polls.” “Why did the RJD government in 1992 do away with the provision of three percent reservation on economic basis, which was extended by Karpoori Thakur government?”, Sushil Modi asked.