Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision to dismiss petitions challenging the caste survey being conducted by his government, stating that the exercise was meant to benefit all sections of society.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of 'Samadhan Yatra' mass outreach programme in his home district of Nalanda, the JD(U) leader expressed delight over "paksh mein faisla" (order in favour).
"I was appalled when I first learnt that a petition has been filed against the survey. I read it in a paper that the petitioner belonged to Bihar Sharif (the district headquarters of Nalanda). I felt like calling him up to know what was wrong with the survey," said Kumar.
"All political parties in the state were unanimously of the opinion that the survey be undertaken. Moreover, it is intended to benefit all sections of the society. It is also a caste survey (jaatiya ganana) and not a census (jana ganana)," said the CM.
Notably, the petition had challenged the survey claiming that it was a "census" which could be undertaken only by the Centre and not by a state government , and also expressed apprehensions that it could sharpen caste divides.
The decision to undertake the survey was taken by the state government in June last year after the Centre made it clear that it was reluctant to include castes other than SCs and STs in the census.
Notably, the apex court refused to entertain the PIL, dubbing it as "publicity interest litigation", though it added that the petitioner could move the high court concerned.
About the quotas for EBCs in urban local bodies, which have been challenged by a separate petition slated for hearing next month, the chief minister said "in my view it is a settled issue. There were some technical issues which were sorted out as per the Patna High Court’s order. Now elections are over and elected representatives are looking forward to discharging their duties".
Kumar was also asked about the ‘Rozgar Mela’ of Prime Minister Narendra Modi where people got jobs in various government departments, including railways, a portfolio the JD(U) leader had held under Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
"So much was achieved in the railways during my tenure, including creation of jobs," the JD(U) leader recalled nostalgically, and added that "those who are in power at present should remember that the land to which they belong also got a lot when I was at the helm of affairs".
The reference was, apparently, to Gujarat which is the home state of the PM as well as Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Kumar also voiced disapproval of scrapping of a separate budget for railways and spoke in favour of reviving the old system.
"Railway budget is such a mammoth exercise. I remember during my tenure it used to be debated till late in the night in Parliament. I wonder why they discontinued it. It should start again," he said.
The JD(U) leader, who snapped ties with the BJP in August last year, reiterated, "I have great respect for Atal ji. He never let me down. I had excellent relations with Advani ji as well."
-With PTI Input
