Lalu Yadav fasts over release of caste census data

PM Modi on Saturday sought to reach out to the Yadavas, Lalu's mainstay, by addressing them as 'Yadu Bhai' and introduced himself as a native of Lord Krishna's land.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad takes a tonga ride to Gandhi Maidan, the venue of his fast, in Patna on Sunday. (Express Photo by: Prashant Ravi)

After riding a tonga from his residence to Gandhi Maidan, RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday observed a fast at the venue to press for his demand for the release of caste census by the Centre. JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav also joined the RJD’s protest in a show of solidarity with the party’s alliance partner for the Bihar polls.

As Lalu Prasad started off from his Circular Road residence for the four-km ride to Gandhi Maidan, other party leaders too followed their party chief on tongas. Lalu Prasad’s sons, Tej Pratap Yadav and Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, joined the fast later. RJD’s campaign for the release of the caste census is set to further gather steam with the party’s plan to enforce a Bihar bandh on Monday.

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With alliance partner and the ruling party in Bihar, the JD(U), also supporting the bandh call, most schools and colleges are expected remain closed on Monday.

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Reiterating his stand on the caste census issue, Lalu Prasad said: “Narendra Modi government has been deliberately keeping the caste census report under wraps because it knows number of OBCs and scheduled castes has substantially increased and the Centre would have to increase the reservation percentage proportionately.”

He added that in the coming days the RJD’s campaign will mount more pressure on the Centre to act in the matter and release the data. Lalu also claimed that the caste census movement would assume a bigger scale than even the Mandal agitation.

Speaking in solidarity with the RJD chief, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav said: “All disparities in the society are because of inequality. Centre must release caste census data so that it is able to use the data for its welfare schemes in a fair manner.”

In a well thought out strategy ahead of the polls, the JD(U) has been playing the development card, while the RJD has been focusing on caste census.

Santosh Singh

Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More

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