Nitish Kumar raised issue of caste census during INDIA bloc meetings, Rahul maintained silence: JD(U)

JD(U) accuses Rahul Gandhi of hypocrisy on caste census, questioning his silence and Karnataka government's data release delay.

The Janata Dal (United) on Sunday (January 19, 2025) accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of hypocrisy on the issue of caste census, charging him with maintaining silence when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar raised the matter in INDIA bloc meetings.

The party also asked why the Congress government in Karnataka has not released the state's caste data.

JD(U) working president and MP Sanjay Jha's attack on the Congress leader came a day after Mr. Gandhi slammed the caste survey carried out by the Kumar-led government as a fake exercise at an event in Patna, while pitching for a nationwide caste census.

Speaking to PTI, Mr. Jha said, "There cannot be a bigger hypocrisy than this. I was a witness to Gandhi maintaining silence while Mr. Kumar strongly and logically spoke in favour of caste census at INDIA bloc meetings in several places." Nitish Kumar-led JD(U) was part of the INDIA bloc before he snapped ties with the Opposition alliance and joined hands with the BJP.

Incidentally, Bihar's caste survey was carried out and its findings released when the Congress was a partner in the government led by Mr. Kumar.

Mr. Jha said Mr. Kumar was the only leader who raised the issue of caste census, and all INDIA bloc members were a witness.

Defending the caste survey in Bihar, he said Mr. Kumar is the only leader since 1931, when a nationwide caste census was held last, who decided to count the population of different castes in a scientific manner to further social justice.