New Delhi/IBNS: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday accused the opposition of "trying to divide the country in the name of caste", a comment seen as a sharp retort hours after the Bihar government released details of its controversial state-wide caste-based survey.

Although he did not refer to the survey directly or name any specific party, PM Modi lashed out at the opposition in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh for having failed to secure development while in power and attacked them for "playing with the feelings of the poor".

"They played with the emotions of the poor back then... and even today they are playing the same game. Earlier they divided the country in the name of caste... and today they are committing the same sin. Earlier they were guilty of corruption... and today they are even more corrupt," he said in Gwalior.

PM Modi said that any attempt at "division on caste lines" is a "sin".

The PM's comments were seen as a two-for-one swipe at Bihar's ruling Janata Dal (United), an ex-BJP ally, and the Congress, its primary opposition in Madhya Pradesh, and which has vowed to conduct a similar caste-based survey if it returns to power after elections later this year.

On Saturday, Gandhi - who has been vocal about the need for a caste census - said, "After coming to power, the first thing we will do is to go for a caste-based census to know the exact number of OBCs..."

Responding to the Bihar government report, Rahul Gandhi said on X, "... the Congress reiterates its demand that the union government conduct a national caste census at the earliest."

"The (Congress-led) UPA government had, in fact, completed this census but its results were not published by the Modi government. Such a census is essential for providing a firmer foundation for social empowerment programmes and for deepening social justice," Gandhi's party said Monday.

Pressure is now on the BJP to conduct a national caste census following the Bihar government report that said around 63 percent of the state's population hail from backward classes, and over 20 percent are from Scheduled Castes or Tribes.

The 'general population' - which includes so-called upper classes that dominated Bihar politics till the Mandal report - is about 15.5 percent.