Union minister Chirag Paswan, a key ally of the NDA in Bihar, has called for a nationwide caste census, arguing it helps the government develop schemes for the “upliftment of castes.” Paswan, leader of the LJP (Ram Vilas), opposes making the census data public, fearing it could cause “division in society.” Paswan emphasized the importance of a caste census for government planning but expressed concerns about societal impacts if the data were disclosed.