Bihar Caste Survey: Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, has scheduled an all-party conference for today to discuss the conclusions of the census report and the next course of action, a day after releasing data from a contentious caste-based survey in the state.
Bihar’s Diverse Population Composition
The state of Bihar has a population of 13.1 crore people, of which 36% belong to the Extremely Backward Classes, 27.1% to the Backward Classes, 19.7% to Scheduled Castes, and 1.7% to Scheduled Tribes, according to figures from the caste census issued by the Bihar government yesterday. 15.5% of the population is the general population.
Yadavs Lead, Dalits Significant, and Tribes in Bihar
According to the caste census report, Yadavs, an OBC group to which Tejashwi Yadav, the deputy chief minister, belongs, make up 14.27% of Bihar’s total population, making them the largest demographic group in the state. 19.65% of Bihar’s population are Dalits, also known as Scheduled Castes, and roughly 22 lakh (1.68%) are members of Scheduled Tribes.
Bihar CM Extends Results to State Parties
According to Chief Minister Kumar, each of the nine state legislature parties that approved the survey today will receive a copy of the survey’s findings. When questioned if the caste census may be perceived as a resurgence of the Mandal Commission’s recommendations, leading to demands for revised caste quotas equal to population, the Chief Minister of Bihar chose not to respond.
Caste Census Sparks Hope for Nationwide Enumeration, Political Leaders Anticipate Change
Kumar expressed optimism that a nationwide census of all social groups will be sparked by the caste survey conducted in Bihar. Lalu Prasad Yadav, the leader of the RJD, echoed his sentiments, saying the survey sets the stage for “a nationwide caste census that will be undertaken when we form the next government at the Centre.” “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,” Kumar said.
Prime Minister Modi Slams Caste-Based Division, Calls It a ‘Sin’ in Response to Census
Prime Minister Narendra Modi charged the opposition with “trying to divide the country in the name of caste” hours after survey results were made public. The prime minister referred to it as a “sin” to “divide people” based on caste. “Only three of the 90 secretaries in the central government, who manage 5% of India’s budget, are from the OBC. Therefore, it is crucial to understand India’s caste data, according to Rahul Gandhi, who declared last week that if the Congress wins the election in Madhya Pradesh, which is set to vote, a caste census will be conducted. A census that included all castes was last taken in 1931. The Bihar cabinet approved a caste survey on June 2 of last year and provided 500 crore for the project.
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