Bihar Chief Minister, on Tuesday, submitted the important second report of the caste-based census and on Thursday. He also managed to pass the bill increasing the reservation limit from 50 percent to 65 percent in the Bihar Assembly. The financially backward class will be getting 10 percent reservation, allowing the backward class to enjoy 75 percent reservation now. Nitish Kumar’s cabinet had given its nod to this bill a couple of days ago. The decision may be challenged in Supreme Court since it violates the limit of 50 percent reservation set by the SC itself. Notably, the Opposition, demanding a few minor changes in the draft, did not oppose the bill, allowing smooth its passage. However, the caste based census or the caste based financial survey has thrown open some surprising and shocking revelations. About 35 percent of the nearly 2.75 crore families are very poor and earn anything less than Rs 6,000. This means the Bihar government has totally failed to improve the financial condition of its citizens. The crux of the report is that 65 percent of the families in Bihar earn less than Rs 10,000 a month. The financial experts have raised a logical query, that is, what did Nitish Kumar do in the last 15 years? Nitish Kumar has announced a one-time package of Rs 2 lakh to 94 percent of the below Rs 6,000 slab families. The government will also provide Rs 2.15 lakh each to purchase land and build houses to the 64,000 homeless families. It is a known fact that this announcement is nothing but an election stunt, keeping in mind the oncoming Lok Sabha polls.
The government had therefore released the caste-based census on October 2. It would have been difficult for the government before deciding about the measures to tackle the problems highlighted in the report. Nitish Kumar’s speech in the assembly demanding 65 percent reservation itself proves that the whole exercise is politically motivated. The issue itself has become political. The modus operandi is more or less the same in every state. First of all, no basic measures to eradicate poverty are implemented, and when the elections come, such schemes are announced or the carrot of reservation is thrown to keep the vote bank intact and lure the voters. Tamil Nadu can be the ideal example of such political gimmick. J Jayalalithaa announced so many freebies or concessions during her tenure, now the voters have become used to it. It has become their right.
Basically, the BJP has targeted Nitish Kumar from the beginning over the latter’s decision on caste based census. Nitishkumar is creating social unrest that is not expected by the constitution. There are various opinions over implementation of caste-based census. Some believe that such a census is necessary to assess the academic and financial situation. If one cannot assess and understand the situation of a particular community, how can it be decided whether it is backward, financially and socially? The Congress party has also stressed on its demand for a caste based census within the country.
Basically, a caste based census was carried out in 2011 during the Congress regime, but the findings were not released. The reason being, the BJP had during a hearing in the Supreme Court claimed the census to be faulty. According to the 1931 census, there were 4147 castes, while in 2011 the numbers were shown as 46 lakhs. There is allegedly wrong information about the SC, ST and OBCs from Maharashtra. It is very clear that the census will not be released unless it is beneficial to the politicians. Nitish has also done the same thing. It is Nitish who is going to be benefited as he is the leader of the extreme backward class or the EBC. Since 36 percent of Bihar’s population is EBC, and there are around 112 castes in it. The OBC percentage is around 27, and has around 29 castes. As JDU, Congress, RJD, and the left are expected to fight the elections together, the BJP will not be able to penetrate through these votes. Also, Nitish has successfully managed to diffuse BJP’s much hyped Women Reservation Act by releasing this very caste-based census. On the other side, the census has now sparked a new debate across the country on the composition of castes and their share in different sectors. No party can ignore this fact. And some believe that it will have a social impact making the Hindutvawadis weak. However, the JDU’s hold had been decreasing since 2015, the party is only able to secure 5 to 7 percent votes on its own. These votes can be significant if shifted elsewhere. Bihar has 80 percent Hindu population and 17.5 percent Muslim population. Thus, it may affect BJP’s Hindu politics.
Nitish has decided to take full advantage of this new political scenario. Although the BJP has accused that this census will divide the society, the Supreme Court has upheld the government’s decision to accept the Mandal Commissions recommendation asserting that caste can be an important criteria to decide about social and financial backwardness. Hence, the BJP does not enjoy constitutional backing for its stand. Even if the caste based census was not done, elections are fought on the basis of caste and tickets are allotted on the basis of caste. Such is the importance of caste in politics. Hence, caste cannot be cast out from Indian politics.
