"Supreme Court's decision on caste-based survey in Bihar is setback for all": RJD MP Manoj Jha

New Delhi [India], May 19 : After the Supreme Court declined to lift the stay order passed by the Patna High Court on the caste-based survey in the Bihar state, Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Prof. Manoj Jha on Friday called the verdict as "a setback for people of the state".

"This is a setback for 80 per cent of our population and this setback is for Nitish Kumar. I am also in it, Tejashwi ji, Lalu ji, rickshaw pullers, labourers, farmers are in it. They all have setbacks and it proves that in this country, blockers in the stream of social justice are sitting in different forms in different places," Jha told ANI.

While reacting to the apex court verdict, Jha said that the courts are sometimes "unable" to see the big picture.

"I feel that in this whole academic debate which started from the High Court and ended in the Supreme Court, the central government does not have the concern that should have been there regarding the concern of the 'Bahujan' population. I believe that even our courts are sometimes unable to see the big picture," he added.

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to lift the stay order passed by the Patna High Court on the caste-based survey in the Bihar state.

A bench of justices Abhay S Oka and Rajesh Bindal refused to give any interim relief to Bihar Government and listed the matter for hearing on July 14 if for any reason hearing before HC does not commence.

The court has asked Bihar Government to argue the matter before Patna High Court, which is scheduled to hear the plea on July 3.

Bihar Government has challenged the Patna High Court's order putting an interim stay on the caste-based census in the state.

Bihar Government has challenged the Patna High Court order dated May 4.

On May 4, the Patna High Court put an interim stay on the enumeration of castes and economic survey in Bihar.

On May 3, the Patna HC completed the hearing and reserved its judgement on a petition challenging and seeking an interim stay on the enumeration of castes and economic survey in Bihar.

Jha further said, "If there is no scientific data, which the Hon'ble Supreme Court has said many times, then, we will not be able to decide our policies. How will we be able to see what is the condition of the representation of the people of the last row? Is this not an important issue for this country? Is there less pain in this than 'Kerala Story'? There is a subtle class, which is very influential, if it can only keep it entangled in academic debate."