Kishanganj (Bihar), May 2 (PTI) AIMIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi, who is on a two-day tour of Bihar, on Friday sought to know from the Centre when the caste census will be conducted in the country.

In a major decision, the central government on Wednesday decided to include caste enumeration in the forthcoming census exercise in a "transparent" manner.

Also Read | What Is an Online Share Trading Scam? As Mumbai Man Loses INR 3.63 Crore in 15-Day Fraud, Know How To Protect Yourself.

Talking to reporters here, Owaisi said, "The caste census is important for ensuring justice and effective affirmative action for every section of the society. But we want to know the timeline for the caste census from the central government. When will you (central government) start it, and by when will the entire exercise be completed?"

Owaisi, the chief of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), arrived here on Friday on a two-day tour of the Seemanchal region in Bihar, ahead of the assembly polls due later this year.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Gives Chocolate to Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan in Amravati, Video of Light-Hearted Gesture Goes Viral.

"Both Pasmanda and non-Pasmanda Muslims must be separately counted to ensure that benefits go to the marginalised. Absence of up-to-date caste data is holding back fair policy decisions, leaving the country to rely on the outdated 1931 caste census," he claimed.

Asked about his comments on the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 people, he said, "We all condemn it and our party has given full support to the government to take strict action against those responsible for this."

The central government must take all necessary steps to ensure that the perpetrators of the gruesome attack are brought to justice, he said.

On the Waqf (Amendment) Act, recently passed by both houses of Parliament, Owaisi said, "This Act is against Muslims. The BJP is spreading lies that the new Waqf Act is beneficial to Muslims, especially women. We must fight against the new Waqf Act".

The Seeemanchal region comprises four northeastern districts of Bihar - Purnia, Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar. The region has a high concentration of Muslims.

Owaisi is likely to address a public meeting in Kishanganj on Saturday.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)