Nitish Kumar silent on BJP’s Rohingya, Bangladeshi Muslim clause for Bihar caste count

The Bihar CM has maintained his silence on the BJP's demand to exclude Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslims from the caste-based census to be held in the state.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar appears to be on the back foot after the BJP raised objections to head counting of Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslims, who are staying illegally in the state, in the proposed caste-based census.The Bihar CM on Saturday maintained a stark silence when journalists questioned him regarding BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal's objection to head counting of Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslims staying illegally in Bihar when caste-based survey will start in the state."Pata nahin (I don't know)" said Nitish Kumar.The BJP has vehemently opposed including Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslims who are staying in Bihar illegally after it was compelled to take a U-turn on the issue of conducting caste census in the state.Union Minister and BJP firebrand leader Giriraj Singh was the first to oppose head counting of Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslims staying illegally in Bihar, after which state BJP President Dr. Sanjay Jaiswal also made a similar demand."I am in support of caste-based survey, but Muslims should also be considered as a caste and their head counting should also take place. Whether it is Rohingya or Bangladeshi Muslims who are staying illegally in Bihar, they should be kept out of caste-based survey. I believe time has come to revisit the definition of minorities in the country. The word minorities should be removed now from everywhere", said Giriraj Singh.