Bihar to undertake socio-economic survey of all castes, communities: CM Nitish Kumar
PremiumBihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has agreed to a socio-economic survey of all castes and communities in Bihar.
Following the Centre's refusal to conduct a national caste census, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced on June 1 that his administration would conduct a "socio-economic survey of all castes and communities" in the state. After chairing an all-party meeting, Kumar told reporters that the requisite cabinet approval for the massive exercise will be given soon. When asked if there was any opposition to the proposed action, Nitish Kumar stated that "all parties unanimously backed" it.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishor Prasad and state unit chief Sanjay Jailswal represented the RJD at the meeting, while the BJP had Deputy Chief Minister Tarkishor Prasad and state unit chief Sanjay Jailswal among its participants. During a press conference, Yadav urged that the Centre provide financial assistance to Bihar in carrying out the exercise, which is expected to cost a lot of money.
In 2019 and 2020, the Bihar Assembly passed resolutions in favour of a caste census. The Bihar government requested the Centre to conduct a caste census in conjunction with the general census in 2021, but the Centre declined, claiming that the pattern for the general census in 2021 had already been established.
As the Bihar government chose to proceed with the caste census, the desire for it has grown in Uttar Pradesh, with Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav leading the charge, claiming that the BJP is only interested in the SCs and OBCs' votes and not their welfare.
The subject came up during a debate in the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, where Akhilesh Yadav, the House's Leader of Opposition, called for a caste-based census. According to him, each caste should be given its fair amount of power in the power system based on their demographic proportion.
The BJP opposed it, claiming that during his five years as chief minister, Akhilesh Yadav did nothing and never asked for a caste census from the UPA government led by then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.