BHUBANESWAR: A day after Bihar BJP gave its consent to Nitish Kumar's call for an all-party meeting on proposed caste census on June 1 in Patna, BJD Rajya Sabha member Amar Patnaik said the party is keen to conduct caste census in Odisha but would prefer one by the Centre across the country.
Patnaik said since the caste enumeration data is a prerequisite to ensure reservation for backward class citizens following the Supreme Court's December 2020 order, the central government would be in a better position to do it. "Without a caste census, reservation is not possible. Odisha government had earlier approached the Centre for caste census. We once again reiterate our demand," the BJD leader said in New Delhi, day after NCP chief Sharad Pawar demanded caste based national census.
