Bihar: OBC Muslim forum upset over Opp leaving out Muslim backwards in caste census call

Former Rajya Sabha MP Ali Anwar has objected to five Opposition parties in Bihar — the RJD, Congress, CPI(M), CPI and CPI(ML) — using the phrase “OBC/ EBC Hindus” but leaving out OBC/ EBC Muslims in a joint letter to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The leaders had asked Nitish to meet PM Narendra Modi to set up an all-party committee for a caste census.

On July 30, Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, in a letter to Nitish, had said, “If caste wise census is not done, economic and social progress of OBC/ EBC Hindus cannot be assessed and adequate policies could be determined.”

Ali, the president of the All India Pasmanda Muslim Mahaz —an apolitical forum taking up concerns of economically and socially backward Muslims — told The Indian Express: “We have strongly opposed content of Tejashwi’s letter, which was endorsed by his Grand Alliance allies. How can they use the phrase ‘OBC/ EBC Hindus’? How about counting the backward among Muslims? How can about 18 per cent of the population be left out from discourse of caste census?”

“Grand Alliance should correct its position and the Bihar CM should also ask the PM for an inclusive caste census demand.”