Lalu Prasad Yadav vows to 'hold BJP, RSS by the ears' and demand caste census: 'Time for action has arrived,' he says

On Tuesday, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Yadav asserted that the opposition would force the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), to carry out a caste census.

In a post on X, the former Bihar Chief Minister vowed to "hold the RSS and BJP accountable, make them comply, and ensure the caste census is conducted."

Yadav's remarks come onthe heels of a recent statement from the RSS, which seemed to soften its stance on the matter. On Monday, RSS leader Sunil Ambekar suggested that the organisation would support the collection of data on specific communities or castes. He added a caveat that such an exercise should only be done for welfare purposes and cautioned people not to use it for political reasons. 

In his post on X, Yadav, who recently returned to Patna after a routine check-up in Singapore — where he underwent a successful kidney transplant in December 2022 — wrote: “We will make the RSS and BJP comply with the caste census. What authority do they have to refuse it? We will press them so hard that they will have no choice but to comply. The time has come for Dalits, backward classes, tribals, and the poor to unite.”

He further wrote: "We will hold the ears of these RSS/BJP guys, make them do sit-ups and get the caste census done. What authority do they have that they will not conduct caste census?"

The call for a caste census has gained significant traction recently, especially after the Supreme Court’s ruling on the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Opposition leaders argue that without precise data on caste demographics, effective policies to address the needs of marginalised communities cannot be formulated. Even Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi has, on more than one occasion, has asserted the need to formulate caste census. In a recent conference on caste and constitution in Prayagraj, Gandhi even pointed out that he would support caste census even if it becomes a political liability.