Bihar Caste Survey: CM Nitish Kumar Lauds The Report, RJD's Manoj Jha Calls It 'Historic', Here's How Leaders Reacted

The much-anticipated caste survey results, which the Nitish Kumar administration in Bihar announced on Monday, showed that a staggering 63 per cent of the state's population is made up of OBCs and EBCs.

Kumar wrote a post on X reacting to the results of the caste survey, he said, "Today, on the auspicious occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the data of caste based census conducted in Bihar has been published. Many congratulations to the entire team engaged in the work of caste based enumeration!"

Further the Bihar CM also said, "he proposal for caste based enumeration was passed unanimously in the Legislature. It was decided with the consent of all the 9 parties of Bihar Assembly that the state government will conduct caste based census from its own resources and its approval was given from the Council of Ministers on 02-06-2022. On this basis, the state government has conducted caste based census from its own resources. Caste based census not only revealed the castes but also gave information about the economic condition of everyone. On this basis, further action will be taken for the development and upliftment of all sections."

According to the data released here by Development Commissioner Vivek Singh, the state’s total population stood at a little over 13.07 crore, out of which the Extremely Backward Classes (36 per cent) were the largest social segment followed by the Other Backward Classes at 27.13 per cent. The survey also establishes that the state’s population is overwhelmingly Hindu, with the majority community comprising 81.99 per cent of the total population, followed by Muslims (17.70 per cent). Read the details of the survey here.

How did the political leaders react to the outcome of the survey?

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar came out with a statement lauding the teams of government officials who undertook the gigantic exercise.

He also said, "A meeting will soon be convened of all the nine political parties with an electoral presence in the state legislature and the facts and figures will be shared with them."

Charging at the BJP, Kumar told the reporters on Monday, "It really doesn't matter what they (BJP) are doing. What is being done for Hindus or Muslims? Tell me, what have they done for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes? Have they given any recognition to the extremely backward class?"

RJD leaders

RJD president Lalu Prasad, who is Kumar’s ally as well as the father of his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, also issued a statement, declaring that the exercise will set the tone for “a nationwide caste census which will be undertaken when we form the next government at the Centre”.

"The BJP tried to block this (caste survey) repeatedly. However, we had committed to conduct this (caste survey) and did it," says Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav on the state caste survey report which was released today.

"The results tell you that 85 per cent of the people belong to marginalised communities. Today, October 2, is a historic day. Today, the cause of social justice has got new strength," says RJD leader Manoj Kumar Jha on Bihar caste survey report which was released today.

Congress leaders

"Scheduled caste, scheduled tribe and people belonging to minority communities are facing atrocities. The police have failed completely (in Madhya Pradesh)," says Congress leader Digvijay Singh.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the UPA government led by the Congress had conducted a census but its results were not published by the Modi government.

"The Bihar government has just released the results of the Caste Survey conducted by it in the state. While welcoming the initiative and recalling similar earlier surveys in other states like Karnataka by Congress governments, the Indian National Congress reiterates its demand that the Union government conduct a national Caste Census at the earliest," Ramesh said in a post on X

JD(U) leaders

"This is Bihar model. Nitish Kumar has set an example. We do what we promise," says Janata Dal-United leader Neeraj Kumar on Bihar caste survey.

BJP leaders

“The BJP party will assess the caste survey, which has been released today, as well as look into the mechanism used for it and accordingly give a statement on it. When they had done the caste survey, it was decided that survey should also include the financial and social data of the growth and wane (of the communities) as well,” says Bihar BJP chief Samrat Choudhary on caste survey which was released today.

“They (Bihar Government) only want to create a confusion amongst various castes in a bid to divide their votes,” says UP minister Sanjay Nishad on the caste survey report which was released earlier today.

Other leaders

"Caste census should be done across the country. If you (Centre) want to do justice with backward classes and minorities in the country, you must have caste census," says AAP leader Sanjay Azad on Bihar caste survey which was released today.

“I believe that after the release of the (caste survey) data, the policies will be drawn out accordingly to cater to the percentage of the castes, which will help in the growth of backward, SC/ST and OBC communities,” says Samajwadi Party leader Abbas Haider on the Bihar caste survey report which was released earlier today.