New Delhi [India], April 30 (ANI): In a sharp rebuttal to the RJD's claims that the BJP would take credit for the caste census, Union Minister Chirag Paswan said, 'Jisko jo credit lena hai wo le lein' (Let whoever wants the credit, take it).

Speaking to ANI, Chirag Paswan hit back at the RJD amid a political tug-of-war over the caste census and said that those who once doubted the Centre's intent are now scrambling to take credit for its completion.

He accused opposition leaders of undermining the Centre's commitment to the caste census.

'They (Opposition) are the people who were pointing fingers at us and our Prime Minister, saying that we will not do the caste census. They used to go from house to house and raise slogans saying that the Centre wouldn't have done it. However, the important thing is that the majority of the population in the country has this wish. My PM has given their wishes and feelings due respect,' Paswan told ANI.

Earlier in the day, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav spoke to the mediapersons and said, 'We hope the census will be done before the delimitation exercise...It is a slap on the faces of those who used to blame us for spreading casteism.'

'Until we don't get scientific data, we won't be able to bring the backwards classes into the mainstream..Naturally, the people of the BJP will take credit for it. But Modi ji had rejected it many times. Lalu ji fought the actual fight for the caste census,' he said.

After the Union Cabinet decided to include caste enumeration in the national census, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said that the approval of the decision is yet another example of how socialist ideas, once dismissed or ridiculed, are eventually adopted by mainstream political forces.

'What we socialists proposed 30 years ago--be it reservation, caste census, equality, fraternity, secularism--others take decades to follow. There is still a long way to go. But make no mistake--we will keep making these Sanghis dance to our agenda,' Lalu Yadav said.

These remarks come amid renewed political sparring over the issue.

Parties in Bihar, particularly the RJD, portray the caste census as their long-standing demand and achievement.

The BJP and its allies, however, have maintained that the Centre has delivered on its promise of social justice and inclusivity.

Meanwhile, reacting to the same, Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh said, 'It's a historical decision and we thank PM Modi for this courageous step. The Congress party was never serious about it. In 2010, the then PM Manmohan Singh assured it in Lok Sabha, a subcommittee was formed which also recommended that, but the Congress govt instead of a caste census surveyed social and economic conditions - even that report was not made public, it is still in their locker. Congress party, for a few days, was demanding a caste census just for political gain and for optics; they wanted to create a divide in the society...'

Adding further, he said, 'When we (JDU) were in the INDI alliance, we raised this issue in Mumbai's and Bengaluru's meetings, but Mamata Banerjee opposed that. Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi Yadav kept quiet. They are saying this today to gain some political benefit. They never did anything but always tried to get credit for everything...'

In a significant decision, the government on Wednesday decided that caste enumeration will be included in the forthcoming census.

Leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) also welcomed the Union Cabinet's decision to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming national census.

The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming census.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated at a media briefing following the cabinet meeting that the decision demonstrates the present government's commitment to the holistic interests and values of the nation and society.

As per Article 246 of the Constitution of India, the Census is a Union subject listed at 69 in the Union List in the Seventh Schedule.

'While some states have conducted surveys to enumerate castes, these surveys have varied in transparency and intent, with some conducted purely from a political angle, creating doubts in society. Considering all these circumstances, and to ensure that our social fabric does not come under political pressure, it has been decided that caste enumeration should be included in the main census instead of being conducted as a separate survey,' Vaishnaw said.

'This will ensure that society becomes stronger economically and socially, and the country's progress continues without hindrance. When a provision of 10 per cent reservation was made for the economically weaker sections of society, it did not create tension in any section of society,' he added.

The Union Minister said caste was excluded from all census operations conducted since independence. (ANI)