'Do caste census in Telangana, Karnataka...show us your model': Prashant Kishor blasts Rahul Gandhi

Political strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor appears to be not in favour of nationwide caste census  - an issue that Rahul Gandhi has raised to corner the Centre. Kishor said that caste census will only help understand the number of a section but it won't eradicate poverty. He said if caste census is that useful, then the Congress should conduct it whereever it is in power and finish the poverty.  

"Rahul Gandhi should tell where was his wisdom for 60 years. For the last 60 years, your party was in power. You should have conducted caste census and eradicated poverty. If we believe that now you have got this wisdom, you should at least conduct caste census in states - Karnataka, Telangana, and Himachal - where you are in power and remove the poverty," Kishor said while speaking to reporters.  

"If caste census eradicated poverty...Bihar has done caste census, whose poverty has been alleviated here?" he asked. "Wherever Congress has a government, they should conduct a caste census and eradicate poverty there...we will carry their flag around and will follow that model."

"A caste census or any other survey helps you understand the condition of different sections of society," the ace strategist said, adding that unless any action is taken, that information won't help. "It's known that people are poor, but the way to lift them out of poverty needs to be shown. Bihar is the poorest and most backward state in the country. Is a census needed for this? Everyone already knows it."

The demand of caste census has been getting louder, with more and more parties joining the opposition. Rahul Gandhi recently suggested that he won't stop at caste census, and would go for more reservation for ST, SC, and OBCs based on their numerical strength. 

BJP's allies like Ajit Pawar and Chirag Pawan have also said that they are in favour of caste census. 

Bihar under Nitish Kumar became first state to conduct caste census. After the census, the state government increased the reservation from 50 to 65 per cent for Dalits, backward classes and tribals in government jobs and educational institutions. However, in June this year, the Patna High Court struck down the move.