Bihar caste census: ‘Does Congress want to take away minorities’ rights’, asks PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday took a swipe at the Congress after the Bihar government's caste census results were declared. He said the Congress is "dividing" Hindus and said the poor "constituted the largest population".

Addressing a rally in poll-bound Chhattisgarh's Jagdalpur, PM Modi invoked his predecessor Manmohan Singh who said that the minority had the first right to the country's resources.

On Monday, the Opposition, including the Congress, welcoming the Bihar government's caste census results, said the Centre should conduct a similar exercise at the national level.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said Bihar's survey revealed that 84 per cent of people in the state are Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). He said their rights should be provided based on their population.

Addressing the rally, the prime minister said: "Since yesterday, Congress leaders are saying 'jitni aabadi utna haq'... I was wondering what the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would be thinking. He used to say that the minority has the first right to the country's resources... But now Congress is saying that the population of the community will decide who will have the first right to the country's resources."

"But, now Congress is saying that the population of the community will decide who will have the first right to the country's resources. So now do they (Congress) want to decrease the rights of the minority? Do they want to remove the minorities?" he said.

Continuing his tirade against the Congress, PM Modi asked whether the Hindus, the largest population in the country, "would come forward and take their rights".

"They are trying to divide the Hindus. They are trying to divide the poor. They are trying to destroy the country," he said.

PM Modi asserted that for him, the "poor were above all" and that he would continue to work for the welfare of the economically backward communities.

On Monday, PM Modi, in a veiled dig at the Congress, said the opposition party had played with the emotions of the poor and divided the country on caste lines for six decades -- a "sin which it is committing now as well".

“They played with the emotions of the poor and divided society on caste lines. They are committing this sin even now,” the Prime Minister said at a rally in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior.

Gandhi had posted on social media platform X, “The caste census of Bihar has revealed that OBC SC ST are 84% there. Out of 90 secretaries of the Central Government, only 3 are OBC, who handle only 5% of India's budget! Therefore, it is important to know the caste statistics of India. The greater the population, the greater the rights – this is our pledge”. Congress is a ruling ally of Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar.

 

Bihar's caste census

Bihar became the first state to release data from a caste-based survey. The Bihar Jaati Adharit Ganana showed 36 per cent of the population are from Extremely Backward Classes, 27.1 per cent are from Backward Classes, 19.7 per cent are from Scheduled Castes and 1.7 per cent are from Scheduled Tribes. The general population is 15.5 per cent. The state's total population is over 13.1 crore.

The survey also said the Yadav community - the group to which Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav belongs - is the largest sub-group, accounting for 14.27 per cent of all OBC categories.

While Bhumihars constitute 2.86 per cent of the population, Brahmins comprise 3.66 per cent. The Kurmis - Chief Minister Nitish Kumar belongs to the community - make up 2.87 per cent of the population, while Musahars are at 3 per cent.

The report's fallout, which will almost certainly kick-up a political row, will likely also include calls to increase quotas for OBCs, which is capped now at 27 per cent. According to the data - released months before the 2024 Lok Sabha election, they are now 63.1 per cent of the state.

CM Nitish Kumar, who faced legal hurdles and opposition from the BJP over the survey, said that the report would aid in the state government's initiatives for the development and upliftment of all sections.

"Today, on the auspicious occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the data of the caste-based census conducted in Bihar has been published. Many congratulations to the entire team engaged in the work of caste-based enumeration!"

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