Chirag Paswan skewers Nitish, says some people trying to create divide

Lok Janshakti Party chief Chirag Paswan on Sunday said no one trusts Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar due to his policies. The LJP President further claimed that in the coming days, JDU will be wiped out. 

“Some people in Bihar are creating a divide on the basis of caste and religion,” he said. 

Watch Chirag Paswan hitting out at CM Nitish Kumar and JDU 

Bihar’s caste survey ignites debate 

Paswan’s comment comes following the Bihar government’s demand for a caste survey which erupted last year and was supported by all parties, though the ruling Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal-led demand.

Over the past few months, a number of Opposition parties, including the Congress, have picked up the appeal across India. 

The high court had said in its 101-page verdict, "We find the action of the state to be perfectly valid, initiated with due competence with the legitimate aim of providing development with justice." A day after the high court held the caste survey as "valid", the state government had swung into action and suspended all ongoing training programmes for teachers so they can be engaged for early completion of the exercise.

However, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has continuously stated that the state is not conducting a caste census but only collecting information related to people’s economic status “for specific steps to serve them better.”

The government further stated that the survey was voluntary and that all information sought was already in the public domain, adding that the state government was only compiling information available in bits and pieces.

Moreover, the Supreme Court has deferred for October 3 the hearing on a plea challenging the Patna High Court's August 1 order giving the go-ahead for a caste survey in Bihar.

The apex court listed the petition filed by NGO 'Ek Soch Ek Prayas' along with other pleas against the same order of the high court.