Union Home Minister Amit Shah has accused the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government of “deliberately” inflating the population figures of Muslims and Yadavs in the state’s caste survey. Shah also claimed that the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government is engaged in “appeasement politics.”
During a rally in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district, Amit Shah criticized the manner in which the caste survey was conducted, stating, “The decision to conduct the caste survey in Bihar was taken when the JD(U) was part of the NDA. But the way the survey was conducted reveals the ulterior design of the Mahagathbandhan government… the population of Muslims and Yadavs were deliberately inflated during the exercise.” He further added that the government is not interested in the welfare of people from other backward communities.
The caste survey results, which were released on October 2, indicated that extremely backward communities (ECB) comprised 36.01% of the population, while backward castes (30 communities) accounted for 27.12%. Collectively, other backward classes (OBC), including backward castes and ECBs, make up 63.13% of the population, while Scheduled Castes (SC) constitute 19.65% and Scheduled Tribes (ST) represent 1.68%.
In response, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav criticized Amit Shah’s accusation and suggested conducting a nationwide caste census. He stated, “Amit Shah claims that the Muslim and Yadav population was deliberately shown more (in Bihar caste survey). I just want to tell him, if that has happened, then he should conduct a caste census in the country and in all the BJP-ruled states.”
Tejashwi Yadav continued his critique of Shah, emphasizing that the Union Home Minister’s statements lack credibility. He also pointed out that the government is focused on job distribution, which Amit Shah does not address in his comments.
The exchange highlights the political tensions surrounding the caste survey and the implications it holds for various communities in Bihar.
Sources By Agencies