An 11-member delegation from Bihar led by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and demanded a caste-based census across the country.

In a U-turn, the BJP too seemed to revisit its stated policy of not holding caste census. Senior BJP leader from Bihar and Rajya Sabha member Sushil Modi on Sunday said his party has always supported the caste-based census and has been part of the resolution passed in the Bihar Assembly in favour of a caste census.

The leaders of all 10 main political parties having members in the Bihar Assembly were part of the delegation.

Replying to a written query in the Lok Sabha on July 20, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said the Central Government has decided as a matter of policy not to enumerate caste-wise population other than SCs and STs in the census.

Given the OBC pitch of the BJP and Assembly polls in UP early next year, Sushil Modi’s statement signifies the ruling party’s reversal of its policy on caste-based census.

Asked about the Prime Minister’s stand on the issue, the Bihar Chief Minister said Modi did not “deny it” (caste census) and heard out everyone.

He said the leaders of all political parties from Bihar put their views on the caste-based census before the Prime Minister.

“During the meeting, we all urged the PM to reconsider the Union Government’s decision not to hold caste-based census except for SCs and STs. The Prime Minister assured us to think over our demand,” Kumar told newspersons.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, son of former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad, who represented the RJD in the delegation, said, “Now, we are waiting for the decision of the PM on our request.”

BJP’s another ally Aapna Dal too had sought a caste-based census as Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav  during the debate over 127 Constitution (amendment) Bill on OBC in the Rajya Sabha last month called for the caste census.

Maharashtra and Odisha too have requested the Centre to collect caste details in the forthcoming census.

Leaders from Bihar have argued that data from Caste-based census would help and facilitate better administration.

The Bihar Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution on February 18, 2019, and again on February 27, 2020, demanding a caste-based census and sent to Union Home Ministry.

Besides the Chief Minister, RJD leader Tejashwi  Yadav, State’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister and JD(U) leader Vijay Kumar Choudhary, Mines and Geology Minister and BJP leader Janak Ram, Ajeet Sharma (Congress), Mehboob Alam (CPI-ML), Akhtarul Iman (AIMIM), former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM-S), Mukesh Sahni (VIP), Suryakant Paswan (CPI) and Ajay Kumar (CPM) were part of the 11-member delegation.

The  reversal in  BJP’s stand on caste-based-census was first reflected in July 11 when debating 127th Constitution (amendment) Bill to allow States to make their own OBC list, BJP’s Badaun MP Sanghmitra Maurya demanded (as against the Centre’s stated policy of not holding caste census) that caste-based census must be enumerated.

“Even cattle have been counted State-wise… how many cattle are in each district and which animals are more in which district. But backward classes have never been counted,” the BJP MP said while accusing previous Congress Governments of not doing justice to OBC communities.