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Once again a new chapter is being written in the politics of Bihar. After the caste census data, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has made a move to increase reservation by releasing the economic and educational report of the survey. To implement the formula of as much as one has, Nitish Kumar has proposed to increase the reservation limit to 75 percent. Nitish government has taken steps to increase the reservation from OBC to Dalits and Tribals, but the move is to increase the scope of reservation for the most backward (EBC) castes.
According to the caste survey, Bihar has the highest number of OBCs at 63 percent, of which 27 percent are backward classes and 36 percent are extremely backward castes. Dalits are 19.65 percent, tribals are 1.68 percent and upper castes are 15.65 percent. According to economic and educational reports, 42.93 percent Dalit families and 42.70 percent tribal families are poor. Similarly, 33.16 percent of OBC and 33.59 percent of extremely backward castes are poor, while 25.09 percent of upper caste families are also poor.
Important role of EBC castes in Bihar politics
Most backward castes are going to play the most important role in the politics of Bihar. BJP had understood this long ago. After separation from JDU and caste census, BJP's entire focus was on extremely backward castes. In Bihar, Nitish Kumar is considered to have a hold on the vote bank of the extremely backward castes, but after coming together with RJD, BJP was engaged in the mission of associating him with it. BJP leaders were raising questions after the caste survey report came out.
BJP's social engineering in Bihar on the lines of UP
Recently, during his visit to Bihar, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had alleged that the Lalu-Nitish duo did injustice to the extremely backward and backward communities by increasing the population of Muslim and Yadav communities in the survey. He said that I have come to tell both the backward and extremely backward communities of Bihar that this survey is a deception. We had supported it. But we did not know that under the pressure of Lalu Yadav, Nitish and Lalu would do injustice to the extremely backward classes by increasing the number of Yadavs and Muslims.
Raising the issue of extremely backward caste Chief Minister, Amit Shah had said that these people of 'India Alliance' (coalition of opposition parties in India) say that as per the population, so is the share, then it is okay Lalu Yadav ji, according to the survey, is he extremely backward? Castes will get a share and will you announce that the Chief Minister of 'India Alliance' will be from a very backward community. In this way, Amit Shah openly raised the issue of extremely backward castes and gave a political message by telling the number of ministers from OBC-EBC castes in the Modi cabinet.
BJP was successful in including the most backward castes by playing the tactic of non-Yadav OBCs in UP. On the lines of UP, the party was also engaged in efforts to help the most backward castes in Bihar, but on Tuesday, CM Nitish Kumar made a move to increase the scope of reservation, in which the most importance was given to the most backward castes.
Bet on increasing reservation limit to 75 percent
Till now in Bihar, total reservation was 60 percent including 10 percent reservation of EWS quota, but now it has been increased to 75 percent. At present, OBC and EBC get 30 percent reservation in Bihar, in which 18 percent is OBC while 12 percent is for EBC i.e. extremely backward castes. Scheduled Castes get 16 percent reservation and Scheduled Tribes get one percent reservation.
CM Nitish has proposed to increase the reservation quota of OBC-EBC by 13 percent, in which it has been proposed to increase the reservation of OBC by 6 percent and EBC by 7 percent. In this way, the reservation of OBC has increased from 18 to 25 percent and that of EBC has increased from 12 percent to 19 percent. In this way, it has been proposed to increase Dalit reservation from 16 to 20 and tribal reservation from 1 percent to 2 percent.
Considering the number of MLAs that the Grand Alliance has in the Assembly, the Nitish government will get the proposal to increase the reservation passed, but it is not easy to get approval from the Governor. The reason for this is that the Bhupesh Baghel-led Congress government in Chhattisgarh had also taken steps to increase the scope of reservation, but could not get approval from the Governor.
Nitish's reservation bet a challenge for BJP
However, it is not easy for BJP to challenge the way Nitish Kumar first conducted the caste census in Bihar and then made the move to increase reservation. Not only this, if the Governor stops Nitish's strategy of increasing the reservation for OBCs and backward castes, then RJD and JDU can use it as a political weapon against BJP. Instead of opposing the caste survey of Bihar, BJP has been raising questions.
Upper castes dominated the politics of Bihar
In fact, after independence, the upper castes dominated the politics of Bihar for a long time. The command of power remained in the hands of Kayastha, Brahmin, Rajput and Bhumihar communities, but the JP movement opened political doors for OBCs. Satish Prasad Singh became the first OBC CM of Bihar, but he could remain in the chair only for three days and after that BP Mandal became the Chief Minister. The path of Chief Minister was opened for OBCs. Although his political influence increased after the Mandal Commission, he is still dominant. From Lalu Yadav to Rabri Devi and Nitish Kumar come from OBC category.
According to the figures of caste census, there are more backward castes than OBCs. In such a situation, it can be said that it is their turn next. In Bihar, OBC population is 33 percent and extremely backward class population is 36 percent. About 114 castes are included in EBC. In Bihar, the EBC class can make a fresh claim regarding its participation in politics, seeing which Nitish Kumar has taken a gamble of increasing their reservation by seven percent. In this way, Nitish Kumar has trapped BJP which is keeping an eye on the most backward castes.
Among the 36 percent extremely backward castes in Bihar, 114 castes like Kevat, Luhar, Kumhar, Kanu, Dhimar, Rakwar, Turha, Batham, Manjhi, Prajapati, Carpenter, Sunar, Kahar, Dhanuk, Noniya, Rajbhar, Barber, Chandravanshi, Mallah are extremely backward. Come in class. Small castes, whose population is less, but they become very important as fillers in elections. When joined with another vote bank, they become a bigger force.
Lok Sabha elections can be a game changer for extremely backward castes
Extremely backward castes can prove to be a game changer in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Nitish created two new caste categories during his 2005-10 rule. One of them was Mahadalit and the other was extremely backward. JDU was successful in making this extremely backward class its main vote bank, which is its strategy to keep with itself.
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