New Delhi, Aug 23: Bihar BJP leader and Minister Janak Ram, who was a part of an all-party delegation that met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand caste census, said whatever decision is taken by the Prime Minister will be acceptable to all. Janak Ram, Minister of Mines and Geology in Bihar government, attended the meeting along with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, and other leaders, said Prime Minister gave a patient hearing to their demand. The leaders demanded counting citizens from backward classes in the Census of India. “Prime Minister listened to us like a family. He is our leader, it is for him to take a decision,” Janak Ram told UNI. Asked if the Prime Minister gave a positive response, he said: “Just like people of Bihar left the matter in the hands of Nitish Kumar, the people of India have left the matter in the hands of Narendra Modi ji. Whatever he will do will be in the best interest of the country,” he said. Senior BJP leader from Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi had tweeted on Sunday night that the BJP is not opposed to caste census. “BJP has never been against caste census,” Modi said, adding that the party had supported the resolution supporting it in the Bihar assembly. The demand for a census to count other backward classes was raised during the debate on a constitutional amendment Bill to restore states’ power to have their own OBC lists. Fresh demand from the Bihar leaders came after the Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai announced in Parliament that there would not be a caste census. Rai had said only data of the caste-wise population of SCs and STs would be collected during the Census 2021. BJP’s ally in Uttar Pradesh, Apna Dal leader and Union Minister Anupriya Patel is among the leaders who demanded a caste census, which is likely to come up as an issue in upcoming polls in the state.
