Bihar all-party delegation meets Modi, pushes for caste-based census in India
NEW DELHI: An all–party delegation from Bihar led by chief minister Nitish Kumar called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to push for a caste-based census, saying they were satisfied with a “patient hearing” but underlining that the final decision rested with the PM.
Members of 11 parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), met Modi for around 40 minutes.
Speaking to media after the event, Kumar, whose party runs a coalition government with the BJP in Bihar, said a demand for caste-based enumeration existed not just in his state but also the rest of the country. “We are grateful to the Prime Minister for listening to us. Now, he has to take a decision,” he said.
The meeting happened in the backdrop of mounting pressure on the Centre to accept the demand for a caste census ahead of critical elections in seven states next year. “There is likelihood of another set of parties meeting the PM on the same issue,” said a person aware of details.
Another person familiar with what happened during the meeting said the PM heard arguments put forth by the delegation. “He did not question what was explained by the leaders, but said the issue comes under the purview of the home minand will have to be discussed with the home minister as well,” this person added. A delegation of JD(U) members called on home minister Amit Shah earlier this month to discuss the issue.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav, who has joined hands with bitter rival Kumar to press for a caste census, was also part of the delegation and said the enumeration will be in “interest of the nation” and a step “that will benefit the poor.”
“When animals and trees are counted, then why not castes? When the government has no scientific data on the population, how can it make welfare policies?” he said.
Yadav also said the perception that a caste-based enumeration will lead to social unrest is flawed. “When states will have the caste data, then only will they be able include castes in their OBC [other backward class] list. If caste census will lead to unrest, then the same logic applies to religion as well.”
The demand for a caste census is decades old, especially among OBC groups, but has gathered momentum in recent months, coinciding with the BJP’S outreach among OBCS, a critical votebank in pollbound states such as Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. The last full caste cenistry sus was done in 1931; since Independence, India has only counted scheduled castes and tribes.
Sections of the BJP support the demand but the party has not explicitly taken a stand on the issue, given its sensitivity and the possibility of triggering anger among influential upper castes.
But the party finds itself cornered by a growing coalition of parties, including allies such as the JD(U), Apna Dal, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Republican Party of India-athawale. The YSR Congress Party and the Biju Janata Dal, considered friendly parties, have also lent their support to the Opposition’s demand.
These parties have argued that a count of castes will give a correct assessment of how castes are numerically poised and which groups have benefitted the most and the least from quotas based on the Mandal commission recommendations that paved the way for 27% reservation for OBCS in government jobs and educational institutions.
Among those who spoke in favour of the exercise on Monday were Mukesh Sahani (Vikasheel Insaan Party), former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM) and Ajit Sharma (Congress). The BJP, which supported two resolutions on the demand passed in the Bihar assembly, was represented by Janak Ram.
The demand for caste-based census is a politically sensitive issue for the BJP as its outreach towards the OBCS is seen as attempts at consolidating support from the constituency, perceived to have immense political heft that can sway elections in key states such as Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
Political commentators credit the BJP‘S big win in the 2014 and 2019 general elections to the massive support it drew from the OBC communities. As per a Lok NITI-CSDS survey the BJP managed 22% of the OBC votes in 2009 Lok Sabha elections as opposed to 42% that was drawn by the regional parties but during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections 44% of the OBCS voted for the BJP while only 27% voted for the regional parties.
“Statistics given by the government shows that reservation notwithstanding OBCS make up just 9.42% and 8.95% of all group A and B government jobs,” said a JDU leader.
Within the BJP too, there is an apprehension that not agreeing to the count could upset the OBC vote bank. “In Uttar Pradesh where OBCS are estimated to be around 50% of the population, the party is particularly concerned about eliciting the support of the non-dominant OBC castes who make up for more than half of the total OBC population,” said a BJP leader on condition of anonymity.