Nitish govt’s caste survey begins in Bihar

Patna, Jan 7: The Nitish Kumar government’s ambitious survey of castes went underway in Bihar on Saturday with the ruling Mahagathbandhan promising uplift of all underdogs as a definite outcome besides hoping that the exercise will take the wind out of the sails of “anti-backwards” BJP.
The saffron party, which is pitted against Kumar, a former ally, now backed by erstwhile rival Lalu Prasad, raked up “caste carnages” witnessed in the past in a bid to stoke fears that the “two tallest products of Mandal” were out to plunge the state into yet another era of social strife.
The chief minister, however, also went on to reiterate that the mammoth exercise will benefit all sections of the society.
Additionally, he announced that the survey’s report will be sent to the Union government which had refused to undertake such a headcount as part of the census. (PTI)