Patna, Jul 7 (IANS): A day after Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, Bihar Chief minister Nitish Kumar and his predecessor Jitan Ram Manjhi on Monday also demanded that the central government should make the data of the caste census public.

"I fail to understand why the centre was withholding the caste-based census data. It should be made public," Nitish Kumar said here at an official function.

"When the caste census was conducted, there is no meaning in not making it public. If there will be exact information about numerical strength of different castes, it would help to finalise schemes for their development and empowerment," he said.

Manjhi also demanded that caste based Census data should be made public without further delay. "There is no justification to keep the caste-based census data as a secret information," said Manjhi, who set up the Hindustan Awami Morcha after being expelled from Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal-United.