By Sami Ahmad
PATNA—Chief Minister Nitish Kumar chose Gandhi Birth Anniversary to announce the result of the Bihar Caste-Based Survey-2022 which is likely to severely harm the political prospects of Bharatiya Janata Party the most as it is thought to be a serious challenge to its Hindutva politics.
The survey report was announced by Bihar’s additional chief secretary Vivek Singh.
According to the survey report, there are almost 82 percent Hindu population out of which 63 percent are OBCs. The population of Muslims is estimated to be 17.70 percent of the total population.
As soon as the caste-based survey was released, a debate on its effects started with a demand for more reservation.
According to the survey, total population of OBC (Other Backward Castes) is over 63 percent. Bihar splits the OBC into two categories; backward castes (BC) and extremely backward castes (EBC).
The result of the survey shows that there are 27.12 percent BC while the population of EBC is 36.01 percent. The total reservation for this group is 27 percent. In numbers, there are over 3.54 crore BC people while the population of EBC castes is over 4.70.
Bihar’s total population is estimated to be a little over 13.07 crore, according to this survey. The total population of Scheduled Castes (SC) is 2.56 crore which is 19.65 percent of the total population. There are 22 lakh Scheduled Tribes which is 1.68 percent of the total population.
Against this, the total population of unreserved or general category is 2.02 crore which forms 15.52 percent of the total population.
The number of OBCs will be a major point to demand for more reservations in
jobs and educational institutions. This survey will reinforce the demand for a nationwide caste survey by opposition alliance INDIA group.
The BJP may face a dilemma in either rejecting or accepting the demand for a caste-based census.
Bihar chief minister, congratulating the survey team, posted on social media platform X that it was decided by the consent all nine political parties of the Bihar Legislative Assembly that the state government would conduct the caste survey and on June 2, 2022, the state cabinet approved that. He said that from the caste-based survey, not only information about castes was obtained but economic status was also known. Now, the result of the survey will be shared with political parties.
Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav wrote that despite BJP’s conspiracies and legal hurdles, Bihar government released the caste-based survey on Gandhi Anniversary. He declared it a historic moment.
He said that these statistics would be an example before the country to formulate schemes for the development of the deprived and the poor and the marginalized groups according to their population ratio. He added that now the government should ensure that the people get representation according to their population.
Lalu announced, “When our government is formed in 2024, we will conduct a nationwide caste census and throw away BJP which is against the Dalit, Muslims, BCs and EBCs.
Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav wrote that the caste-based survey is a result of a decades-long struggle. He also declared it a historic moment.
In a short X post, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote, “From the Bihar caste-based survey it is revealed that there 84% OBC+SC+ST.” He added, “There are only three OBCs among the 90 secretaries at the center. So, it is necessary to know the caste statistics of India”.
On the other hand, BJP leader and minister Giriraj Singh termed the caste survey as an attempt to spread confusion. He said that they should have issued a report card of 33 years, 18 of Nitish and 15 of Lalu Prasad’s.
With the release of this survey, Nitish Kumar has put the BJP in a dilemma. While the upper caste leaders are peeved at it, the OBC leaders are left with no option but to support it. However, it is the central leadership of BJP that will find it difficult to respond to the caste survey.
Till now, BJP’s top leadership is against a national caste census but the INDIA alliance, including the Congress, are well prepared to make it a national issue. The observers believe that the demand for reservation proportionate to the population will get momentum and the BJP will find it difficult to face this challenge.
