Patna: Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Tuesday said the party was in favour of releasing caste census figures, demand for which had been made by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad.
"BJP is in favour of making public figures related to caste census. The Government of India has conducted it and the data will surely be made public," Sushil Modi told reporters after his weekly Janata Darbar.
The BJP leader said he had recently talked to the registrar general of census operations and the release of caste figures may take some time as the data gathered from all over the country was being collated and processed.
"As for Bihar, draft publication of data from Rohtas and East Champaran districts have not yet been made. Eleven districts (out of total 38 in the state) did so only 15 days ago," he said, adding an expert committee will go through the nationwide socio-economic caste census data and the union home ministry will make the caste figures public.
Hitting out at the RJD chief for his Raj Bhawan march to demand release of caste census figures, the senior BJP leader said he was "roaming with his tail on fire like Hanuman but without any rhyme or reason and will finally end up torching his own Lanka".
"Prasad has become so old that he cannot even walk. He and his family members traveled in a jeep while other senior leaders and supporters marched in the scorching sun ... He has forgotten that today Mandal and Kamandal both are with BJP and they will work together for the development of Bihar," he added.
Continuing his attack, Sushil Modi said Prasad should practice Yoga for his bad health and "Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should advise him instead of doing so to BJP national president Amit Shah."
He also hit out at the chief minister saying he wants to develop Bihar but it cannot be done on the basis of a 1990 formula and with the help of Lalu Prasad (who was the chief minister then).
"Kumar should show Prasad prominently in JD(U) posters and take responsibility for his (Prasad's) era of jungleraj. People know that Prasad is the real power. While Kumar is just a mask, Prasad can bring down the government anytime," Modi said.
