Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Designed by: Manoj Kumar
In a noteworthy development ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the Bihar government has revealed the results of the long-anticipated caste-based survey called the Bihar Jaati Adharit Ganana. The survey, initiated by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's government earlier this year, has been a subject of controversy.
The survey's findings indicate that Other Backward Castes (OBCs) make up a substantial 63% of Bihar's total population of 13 crore.
The report further categorises the population, revealing that backward classes constitute 27%, extremely backward classes make up 36%, Scheduled Castes (SCs) account for slightly over 19%, Scheduled Tribes (STs) make up 1.68%, and the general category comprises 15.52% of Bihar's population.
Among the sub-groups, Yadavs, the community to which Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav belongs, are the largest, comprising 14% of the state's total population, followed by Brahmins at 3.66%, Musahars at 3%, Kurmis at 2.87%, and Bhumihars at 2.86%.
According to the Nitish Kumar-led government, the caste-based survey was initiated with the goal of uplifting backward communities and ensuring improved implementation of welfare schemes.
Despite its noble aims, the survey faced legal challenges and opposition from certain political parties who argued that the state government overstepped its authority by conducting the caste-based survey, as comprehensive censuses are the prerogative of the central government.
The Supreme Court refused to entertain pleas against the survey, and the Patna High Court upheld the exercise's validity and legality.
The release of the caste-based survey results months before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls could significantly reshape Bihar's political landscape. Parties such as the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Janata Dal (United) (JDU), and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which dominate the state, rely on OBC votes, as Bihar sends 40 MPs to Parliament.
Opposition parties, including the Congress and Samajwadi Party (SP), have advocated for a nationwide caste census, viewing it as a vital tool to counter the BJP. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav have both championed the idea, emphasising the need for equal representation and development for all communities. During a recent rally in the election-bound state of Chhattisgarh, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi passionately endorsed the idea of a caste census, describing it as the "X-ray" of India.
The Bihar caste-based survey is the first of its kind since India gained independence in 1947, with the last such census conducted in 1931 during the pre-Independence era. The initial caste census in India was conducted by the British in 1881.