The Bihar government’s release of the caste census data has ignited debates and discussions across the state. According to the data disclosed yesterday, 36% of Bihar’s 13.1 crore-strong population belongs to Extremely Backward Classes, 27.1% to Backward Classes, 19.7% to Scheduled Castes, and 1.7% to Scheduled Tribes. The general population accounts for 15.5% of the total.
Notably, Yadavs, the OBC (Other Backward Classes) group to which Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav belongs, emerged as the largest population group in Bihar, constituting 14.27% of the total population. Dalits, or Scheduled Castes, make up 19.65% of Bihar’s population, which also includes nearly 22 lakh (1.68%) individuals from Scheduled Tribes.
The Bihar Chief Minister refrained from commenting on whether the caste census could lead to a revival of the Mandal Commission’s recommendations, potentially triggering demands for revised caste quotas proportional to population. He stated, “It would not be proper for me to go into such details right now. Let me share the findings with all parties tomorrow. After that, our focus will be on making policies targeted at castes that may be deemed to be in need of greater assistance. I must add, the survey will benefit all castes, without exception.”
Rahul Gandhi, leader of the Congress party, weighed in on the discussion, emphasizing the importance of knowing caste statistics in India. He remarked, “Out of 90 secretaries of the central government, only 3 are OBC, who handle only 5 per cent of India’s budget. Therefore, it is important to know the caste statistics of India.” Gandhi had previously announced that if his party wins the election in Madhya Pradesh, they would conduct a caste census in the state.
In response to the released data, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar called for an all-party meeting on Tuesday to share the details of the Bihar caste census report and to discuss the necessary actions moving forward. He encouraged the participation of all nine political parties in the state. During the meeting, the government will provide comprehensive information regarding the calculations behind the results and the economic conditions of the people surveyed.
The Bihar caste census, also known as the “Bihar Jaati Adharit Ganana,” was initiated in January of this year. It faced a brief pause when the Patna High Court heard several petitions challenging the exercise. Leaders from the ruling Mahagathbandhan coalition in the state alleged that those filing the petitions were “BJP supporters,” a charge vehemently denied by the BJP.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took the opportunity to question what the BJP had done for the backward communities in the state, adding an element of political rivalry to the discussions surrounding the census. Meanwhile, Lalu Yadav, leader of the RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) and an ally of Nitish Kumar, hailed the release of the caste-based survey as a “historic moment” despite alleged conspiracies and legal hurdles faced by the Bihar government.
The unveiling of the Bihar caste census data has opened a new chapter in the ongoing discourse on caste-based politics and policies in the state, with both political and social implications yet to be fully understood. The all-party meeting called by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar aims to shed further light on the path forward.
