Nitish Kumar Chairs All-Party Meeting on Bihar Caste Census, Examining Implications of Recent Survey Results
The meeting was organized as rumors grew that the Biparitay-led government, Bihar caste survey was planning to recommend increases in quotas for job and educational Institution seats for the Backward caste. On Tuesday, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar will head an all-party meeting at which he is expected to discuss the poll implications of a caste census his government announced on Monday just days after a ground-breaking survey that could shake Hindi Belt politics The Indian decennial census counts only SCs and STs.
“विपक्ष फिर से जाति की राजनीति कर रहा है, जाति के आधार पर देश को बांटने की कोशिश की जा रही है” ◆ मध्य प्रदेश में PM मोदी का बयान @narendramodi
| #NarendraModi | #MadhyaPradeshElection2023 #BiharCasteSurvey #NewsClick #INDvNEP pic.twitter.com/JficBBAYHC— MN TIMES (@mntimes_in) October 3, 2023
Bihar Caste Survey Findings
The survey indicated ECB consisted of 112 castes constituting 36.01% of the population and the backward class composed of thirty communities amounted to about 27.12 %. Consequently, combined, other backward classes (OBC)—an umbrella grouping for all the backward Bihar castes and EBCs within the State account for 63:13%. SC 19.65 % & ST 1.68 %.
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Meeting on Bihar Caste Survey
EBCs – 18%; Backward Classes – 12%; SC – 16%; ST & Woman Backward – 1/3%.The following day, Kumar announced that the meeting was called and that the officials shall present the whole process of data collection to them. The matter will be taken up as an agenda for discussion concerning the Bihar caste survey report. The opinion of the parties shall be sought and necessary steps taken etc.
BJP and RJD Discuss Reservations
All nine parties had their representatives invited to this crucial meeting, and amongst them was even the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), a member of the state’s ruling alliance, has called for increased reservation for backward classes. On Monday, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav echoed the call following the publication of the survey results. Yadav’s comment on x claims that such data can aid in designing schemes intended for weak & marginalized groups and reflect all groups according to population.
According to RJD spokesman Chittaranjan Gagans, besides the numerical strength of the caste groups, their education, economy and socials will also come under discussion during the meeting. This first instance should come in handy in initiating a new scheme and Governmental actions geared for those in the lower social rung in terms of economic as well as socio-political parameters.
BJP Backs Caste Census
On its part, INDIA comprising various opposition parties including the Congress party has called for a national caste census to counter the BJP from entrenching the so far minority dominant, backward. This has changed the earlier perception of the BJP as being concerned mainly with its traditional vote bank, which is the upper caste. BJP has now roped in leaders from the marginalized castes.
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BJP state chief Samrat Chaudhry added that they have been supporting a caste census and shall examine the report on it. He was preceded by another BJP Rajya Sabha member Sushil Kumar Modi who pointed out that the decision to conduct the Bihar caste census was made at a time when his party was also in power in Bihar but this happened before Kumar got into an understanding with RJ
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