BJP Ally Chirag Paswan Supports Caste Census, Had Opposed Lateral Entry Move by NDA Govt

New Delhi: Showing up his differences with the BJP, Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan on Sunday declared that he supports the caste census.

While answering a question on his stand on the caste census issue at a press conference on Sunday, he said, “My party (the LJP) has always kept its stand clear that it is in favour of the caste census.”

He also added that there were many reasons why the caste census should be conducted by the Central government.

“The reason for this is that several times, both the state and the central government draft many schemes keeping the beneficiaries’ caste in mind. Those schemes are prepared with the thought of connecting people from the Backwards class with the mainstream. In such a situation, the government should have information about the population of that caste so that it can figure out the proper allocation of the amount,” he said.

Chirag Paswan had earlier opposed the concept of lateral entry appointments in government jobs by terming the move by the

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) “completely wrong”.

The LJP led by Chirag Paswan is a key ally of the BJP, which is agaisnt the Opposition INDIA bloc’s demand to conduct a caste census.