In a manoeuvre aimed at reviving Mandal politics in the politically-crucial Hindi heartland, the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar on Monday released the findings of its much-awaited caste survey, which revealed that OBCs and EBCs constitute a staggering 63 per cent of the State’s total population.
According to the data released in Patna by Development Commissioner Vivek Singh, Bihar’s total population stood at a little over 13.07 crore, out of which the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) at 36 per cent were the largest social segment followed by the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) at 27.13 per cent.
The survey also stated that Yadavs, the OBC group to which the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s Lalu Prasad Yadav and his son and Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav belong, were the largest in terms of the population, accounting for 14.27 per cent of the total population.
Dalits, also known as the Scheduled Castes, accounted for 19.65 per cent of the total population in the state, which is also home to nearly 22 lakh (1.68 per cent) people belonging to the Scheduled Tribes.
Those belonging to the “unreserved” category, which denotes the “upper castes” comprise 15.52 per cent of the total population. Of these, Brahmins were 3.65 per cent, Rajputs 3.45 per cent and Kayasthas were 0.60 per cent.
Immediately following the release of the caste census findings, the opposition INDIA parties led by the Congress welcomed the move. Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi was on social media, posting on X, “Bihar caste census reveals that OBC+SC+ST is 84 per cent of the population. Among the 90 secretaries of the Union Government only three are OBCs. India needs to know the caste numbers. It is our pledge that rights and justice will be based on the numbers.”
INDIA parties
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the question is not about what the Centre or the BJP has done for the Hindus or the Muslims. “The question is – what have they done for the Scs and the STs? Have they given any recognition to the extremely backward castes,” said Nitish Kumar who has spent most of his political career raising the issues of EBCs.
The caste census, said sources in the Opposition parties, would pave the way for the political demand for doing away with the 50 per cent ceiling on reservation imposed by the Supreme Court. Politically, it would be used to target the BJP which has delayed the census exercise and is hoping to cash in on the Women’s Reservation Act in the run-up to the general elections. The Congress has already demanded that there should be OBC reservation within the quota for women.
The BJP responded to the caste census by labelling it as an “eye wash”.
“Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar play caste-based politics. Backward class plays a vital role but Nitish Kumar has not done anything for the backward class… Bihar CM has done nothing fo the development of the state,” Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary said.