'Inka kya aukaat hai jo...': Lalu Yadav's blistering attack on RSS-BJP over caste census

Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Tuesday launched a blistering attack against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP over the issue of caste census. Yadav's attack comes almost a day after the RSS backed the caste census.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the former Bihar CM said that the opposition will force them to the point that they will have to do a caste census.

"Inn RSS/BJP wala ka kaan pakad, dand baithak kara inse jaatigat janganana karayenge. Inka kya aukaat hai jo ye jaatigat janganana nahi karayenge? Inko itna majboor karenge ki inhe jaatigat janganana karna hi padega (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? We will force them so much that they will have to do caste census)," he wrote in his post. 

He noted that the time has come for the Dalits, backward, tribals and poor to show unity. "Dalit, pichhda, adivasi, aur garib ka ekta dikhaane ka samay ab aa chuka hai (The time has come for the Dalits, backward, tribals and poor to show unity)," he further said. 

RSS chief spokesperson Sunil Ambekar said that the caste census is useful to address the welfare needs of people but shouldn't be used for electoral purposes.

"Caste reactions are a sensitive issue in our society, and they are important for national integration. However, the caste census should not be used for election campaigning and electoral purposes."

When asked on the recent Supreme Court order regarding the sub-classification of Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), he said that no steps should be taken without consensus of the concerned communities. 

Ambekar's statement comes at a time when the INDIA bloc parties -- Congress, Samajwadi Party, and others -- are seeking to hold a caste census for effective policymaking. Rahul Gandhi has even promised to breach the 50 per cent reservation cap for SC, ST, and OBCs.