Bihar Caste Census : Is It An Agenda To Revive Caste Politics ?
Education, urbanization and modernization are weakening the caste identities, but it seems that Political Parties are willing to keep the caste issue alive for their political ends. Bihar Government has conducted caste census and has published Bihar Caste Census Report on 2nd October, 2023 on the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. The Census Report has provided data about number of castes in Bihar and their population. As per the report, population of Bihar is more than 13 crore. There are more than 200 castes in Bihar. Population of most of the castes are in the range in zero to 4%. Yadav community has population of around 14 % which includes various sub-castes.
It is pertinent to mention that there has been no public demand for any such caste census. It is suo motu initiative by the Government of Bihar.
The caste census data does not have any meaning, as long as socio-economic conditions of persons belonging to different caste are not analyzed. A caste is no longer a homogenous group. If it is said that 14% population of Bihar belongs to Yadav caste, it does not inform anything about economic conditions of all the persons belonging to Yadava caste. A person belonging to Yadava caste can be very rich and another person belonging to the same caste can be very poor. A person belonging to a Brahmin caste can be very rich or very poor.
OBC/EBC/SC/ST are not birth based identities. Constitution had made these arrangements for upliftment of a socio-economic backward class. A caste which has been included in OBC can be also be removed from that list if it has achieved socio-economic development comparable with general class. There should be proper review of socio-economic conditions of every caste in every ten years and exercise of exclusion and inclusion of these caste from OBC/EBC/SC/ST should be done. .
REIGNITING QUOTA POLITICS
On the basis of the caste census, many Political Parties have already started to demand for more reservation in government jobs for OBC/EBC/SC/ST as if reservation in government jobs are only tools of development. Reservation in government jobs helps only those individuals who are selected in jobs. There is no proof that a person who has got government job on account of reservation has helped his caste economically or otherwise to grow.
The number of government jobs are few. Seats in government jobs are decreasing. Pubic Sector organizations are being sold to private hands. BPSC and other Government bodies take years and years in completing one recruitment. There is corruption in every other examination. Central Government as well as State Government are more and more relying on contractual employees. Even for conducting this caste census, Bihar Government has itself used services of a Private Company rather than a government organization. If a government organization would have conducted this census, some employment opportunities could have been created for people including that of OBC/EBC/SC/ST. This shows the whole caste census is more of propaganda rather than done with any noble intentions.
Already more than 60 % seats in government jobs are reserved. In remaining 40% seats also meritorious candidates belonging to different castes can be selected. There is hardly any further scope for reopening quota issue.
DANGER OF DEMAND OF SEPARATE ELECTORATE
Political Parties have also started demanding that participation of every caste should be according to it’s population. Such demands of political parties are dangerous and can lead to fragmentation of society. Such demand is an extension of the British policy of separate electorates which led to partition of India. The British had awarded separate electorate to muslims in 1909 wherein only muslims could have voted for muslim representatives. This was the seed which ultimately resulted in partition of the country. The British had extended separate electorate to Sikhs and had attempted to extend the same to even scheduled castes. Mahatma Gandhi had protested grant of separate electorates for scheduled castes and for that sake he had embarked on fast unto death in Yervada Jail. Due to protest of Mahatma Gandhi and his fast, Poona Pact was signed between Gandhi and Ambedkar and separate electorate for the SC/ST could be avoided.
CONCLUSION
Except to some extent for Scheduled Castes, there are no disabilities attached to any caste today India. Every citizen can travel and work in any part of India. Constitution has already sufficient safeguards against any discrimination on the basis of caste, creed or gender. The need of the hour is not caste census but proper economic census so that people who are poor can be identified and for them proper welfare schemes can be framed. Political parties in Bihar need to focus on developmental aspects rather than indulging in caste politics for sake of their selfish ends.
________________________________
Mukesh Kumar Suman is an advocate based at Delhi. He regularly appears before various Judicial Forums including NCLT, NCLAT, High Courts and the Supreme Court. He can be approached at mukesh_suman@outlook.com or +91 9717864570.
