Patna, April 21 (NationPress) The leader of Jan Suraaj, Prashant Kishor, criticized the Bihar government on Monday regarding the caste census, asserting that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is misleading the public about the situation.

“Nitish Kumar is misleading the public regarding the caste census, land surveys, and employment commitments,” Kishor told reporters in Bihar.

Kishor also called for the release of a White Paper on the implementation of the caste census in Bihar.

“Why hasn’t the reservation cap been increased after the caste survey data was shared in the Assembly? If the JDU-BJP alliance governs both the state and the Centre, what's preventing them from raising the reservation limit?” he questioned.

He alleged that the purpose behind collecting caste-based data was not development, but to incite caste-based sentiments for electoral advantage.

“No political party is genuinely interested in the upliftment of Dalits, Mahadalits, or landless individuals in Bihar. It’s merely about vote-bank politics,” he claimed.

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled to visit Madhubani on April 24, Kishor accused the Nitish Kumar administration of misusing public funds to gather crowds, referring to it as an exercise in “optics over accountability.”

“The funds being utilized are not for development, but to project false popularity. If our inquiries go unanswered, we will gather signatures from 1 crore individuals and submit them to the Governor and Chief Minister on July 11, and also surround the Bihar assembly,” Kishor warned.

He challenged Nitish Kumar on the claim that 94 lakh families would receive Rs 2 lakh each for employment.

“According to our sources, not a single rupee has been disbursed. Was this just another empty promise like PM Modi’s Rs 15 lakh? He had vowed to reopen the sugar mills of Motihari and drink tea made from sugar from those mills. Will he clarify this during his rally in Madhubani?” Kishor asked.

He also expressed concerns about the land survey process, calling for transparency on the concrete assistance provided to landless citizens. Kishor reminded the government of its promise made on November 22, 2023, to provide Rs 1.2 lakh each to 40 lakh homeless families for housing.

“I want to know how many of these families have actually received the funds?” he inquired, urging for official disclosure.

Kishor pointed out the commitment made in 2006 to provide land to every landless Dalit family, stating, “Only 2.34 lakh families have received land until 2025. Of these, 1.2 lakh families lack basic amenities, according to the Deshpal Committee Report.”

Kishor described the land survey process, which commenced in 2013, as the root of escalating crime and corruption in Bihar. To date, only 20 percent (17.3 lakh lands) have been digitized.

“In contrast, Andhra Pradesh has digitized 80 percent of its land despite starting later. Conflicts arise in every household over land boundaries. Bribes of Rs 25–50 lakhs are being paid to retain the position of CO (Circle Officer),” he alleged.