Janata Dal-United (JDU) leader Vijay Kumar Chaudhary has strongly criticized the Central government for submitting an affidavit to the Supreme Court opposing Bihar’s decision to conduct a caste-based census within the state.
During a press conference at the party’s office, Vijay Chaudhary, who also serves as the Finance Minister of Bihar, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Central government’s stance. He pointed out that the Patna High Court has also sided with Bihar’s plan for a caste-based census. He characterized the Central government’s actions as not only perplexing but also detrimental to the welfare of Bihar’s underprivileged population. The Central government, in its affidavit submitted on Monday, contended that the authority to conduct a census rests solely with it, responding to Bihar’s caste-based survey initiative.
Chaudhary clarified the distinction between the census and the caste-based survey, emphasizing that the latter is a unique undertaking and not synonymous with a census. He questioned why the Central government has refrained from clarifying its stance on the matter, even as the BJP has maintained silence.
The Office of the Registrar General, under the purview of the Home Ministry, underscored in its two-page affidavit that the census process falls under the purview of the Census Act 1948. It added that the topic of census is explicitly covered in the Union List, under Entry 69 of the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.
The affidavit emphasized that no other entity possesses the authority to carry out activities akin to the census. Responding to the affidavit, Tejashwi Yadav, the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, took a dig at the Central government. He criticized their lack of understanding, accusing them of deceit and suppressing the truth. Tejashwi Yadav highlighted that the affidavit indicates the BJP’s opposition to the caste-based census. He also suggested that if the Centre truly supports the caste-based census, it should implement it nationwide. He asserted that if the Centre is in favour of such an endeavour, they should execute it across the entire country.
