Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Monday described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an "enemy of backward castes" for holding back the caste census figures and challenged him to publish it.
"Modi claims to be from backward caste, but he is actually an enemy of the backward castes. I challenge him to publish the caste data if he really hails from backward community," Prasad said while taking out a procession to the Raj Bhawan demanding publishing of the caste census.
What is the intention of the Central government in holding it back, the RJD chief asked stating that socio-economic caste census was conducted on "our demands" and at the initiative of the previous UPA government.
"The socio-economic part of the data was released showing the poor condition of our countrymen, but the caste part has been held back. The people has a right to know about the numbers and condition of castes and we demand its immediate release," he added.
Prasad was speaking after his march, which was stopped by the administration before the Raj Bhawan.
"The caste census figures will help formulate policies for those castes that are lagging behind in development. Once we get these data, we will demand a separate budget for education, employment and other developmental activities of these castes," he said.
Prasad asserted that his party will agitate non-stop till the figures are released and will call a 'Bihar bandh' to demand it.
The RJD chief announced July 25 as the date for Bihar bandh while speaking to his supporters, but withdrew it after realising that the Prime Minister will be visiting Patna and Muzaffarpur on that day. The party will announce another date for bandh later on.
Vowing to launch an agitation bigger than Mandal Commission for caste census figures, Prasad said the present scheme of reservation in educational institutions and government jobs was based on caste census conducted in 1931.
"As per the 1931 census and also the Mandal Commission report, the OBCs were 54 per cent of the population, which has now increased to 70-80 per cent. Even if we take them to be 60 per cent only and SC and ST at 30 per cent, the forward castes will be just 10 per cent," Prasad said.
He said the BJP led Central government was afraid to make caste census figures public as it will lead to the backward castes demanding proportionate reservation in education, employment and other resources.
Prasad, whose supporters used to describe him as a 'messiah' of backward castes during his heydays, claimed the socio-economic figures released by the Centre reveals that out of total 24.39 crore families in the country, 17.91 crore live in villages.
Of those 17.91 crore families, income of 7.05 crore is less than Rs 10,000. Around 5.39 crore families are dependent on agriculture, 9.16 crore families on daily wage labour, 44.48 lakh on domestic work, 4.08 lakh on garbage segregation, while 6.68 lakh families depend on begging, he said.
The socio-economic census data also reveals that 2.37 crore families living in rural areas live in one-room tenements of mud and thatched roof, he informed.
"The government should tell us to which castes these poor people belong to? It should reveal the caste of those who live in one room 'kuchcha' tenements. It should also reveal the caste and social background of those who pay income tax and their sources of income," he added.
Prasad claimed the government was not releasing the caste figures as it will show that just three to four per cent people from forward castes have captured all government, government-aided and private resources.
However, the RJD chief said he was not spreading casteism by demanding caste census figures, nor this demand was connected with the forthcoming Assembly polls. "I just want the caste figures released so that deprived people can demand their share in resources and employment."
Hitting out at BJP for breaking all the promises made during the last general elections, he accused the saffron party of "wanting to spark riots in Bihar to capture power in the coming Assembly polls."
"We will give them a befitting reply. We will use 'Mandal' to break 'Kamandal' with votes," he said.
In his speech, Prasad's eldest son Tej Pratap said hardly five or six states have chief ministers hailing from backward castes, while none of the states have a chief minister from the Scheduled Caste or tribals.
Later, an RJD delegation submitted a memorandum to Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi demanding release of caste census figures within 10 days failing which the party will intensify its agitation.
