At legislative panel meeting, Nitish joins Opposition caste census chorus.

NEW DELHI: The demand for a national caste census is gaining steam, with JD(U), a key ally of the NDA government, joining the chorus along with the Opposition INDIA bloc parties on Thursday.

The JD(U), the largest ally of the Modi government, demanded that caste census be taken up as a subject for discussion in the Parliament’s Committee on Welfare of Other Backward Classes. The issue was raised by DMK member TR Baalu at the first meeting of the committee, chaired by BJP MP Ganesh Singh.

Sources said Congress member Manickam Tagore wanted the committee to list caste census as the first subject for deliberations. He was supported by TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee, who also wanted the committee to write to the Union Home Ministry on holding the survey.

A BJP member said that reservations should also cover recruitment done on contract and temporary basis, and ad-hoc appointments.