Patna,(BiharTimes): Even as RJD chief Lalu Prasad marched to Raj Bhawan on Monday Union food minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that there is no need to release the caste data as is being demanded by chief minister Nitish Kumar, RJD supremo and HAM keader Jitan Ram Manjhi.

Ram Vilas did not stop here, but went on to ask as to why the UPA did not release it when it was in power for 10 years. According to the LJP leader it was during the UPA rule that it was decided not to make the caste data public.

Interestingly, work for caste census started in 2011 and has been completed sometimes back. Some BJP leaders even argue that the government is not releasing it because some work in this direction has not yet been completed.

Ram Vilas, however, asked as to why should the data be released? If released what would be the benefit? 

On the other hand Lalu, while leading a march to Raj Bhawan, told the media that the BJP is afraid of releasing it as the new data would re-veal some new facts.

Even Nitish, who is to attend Sonia Gandhi’s Iftar party later on Mon-day, reiterated his demand for the release of caste census. 

The JD(U)-RJD leaders are of the view that the data on castes, col-lected for the first time after 1931, may reveal that the number of OBCs, SCs and STs are much higher than what is being projected. This would help increase the demand for more reservation.

There would be demand to remove the 50 per cent cap on reservation and amendment of Constitution in this regard. 

Observers are of the view that Ram Vilas is opposing the data based census because of the political compulsion. The BJP is not in position to do so on the eve of the Assembly election.