Timing is an important aspect of politics, and knowing when to show a winning move may increase or decrease an election candidate’s probabilities. Due to his Hindutva-driven government, the current Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared to have a secure victory in India’s 2024 general election, but the situation in Bihar altered the course of events.
Nitish Kumar, the deputy minister of Bihar, made a major announcement on October 2, the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s delivery. Gandhi’s government released the findings of the caste survey and a & nbsp that were conducted in the state from January 7 to August 25, 2023, in honor of his fight for social justice.
The discovery, which was made public on October 2, has once more shifted the nation’s political treatment toward caste-based ticket. Reservation & nbsp is a system that gives historically disadvantaged groups access to government, employment, and educational programs.
In Hindu communities, reservations are primarily given to the four groups known as Scheduled Castes( SC ) and the Economically Weaker Section( EWS ) for upper caste members ( General Category ).
OBCs receive a 27 % reservation, & nbsp, 15 % for SCs, 7.5 % for STS, and 10 % for EWS of the General Category in government positions, educational institutions, or even in the legislature.
OBC, SC, and ST are regarded as backward castes, while those who have previously held positions of authority within Hindu society fall under the General Category. The EWS limit makes exceptions for parts of the General Category that are less economically secure.
In the politics centered on & nbsp, booking is referred to as Mandal( in favor of increasing booking for downward groups ) vs. Kamandal( those who are opposed to it ).
Kamandal 2.0 vs. Mandal 2.0 in 2024
This program, which lowers the requirements for exams, job openings, school attendance, scholarships, and promotions for morally and academically back citizens based on the class census conducted in 1931 under British rule, allows the federal government and the states to established reserved quotas or seats in accordance with provisions in the Indian constitution.
I advocated for a federal caste-based population last year and its benefits to the country while going into great detail about castinge and reservation. I argued flatly that it is insufficient to create a state or national budget specifically designed for the welfare of the oppressed classes using data that are more than 100 years old.
For better execution of happiness programs for the weak who have previously been denied access to education, work, and participation in the system, innovative clinical data are required. & nbsp,
My analysis is supported by the Bihar class review, which points in that direction. The Extremely Backward Classes( EBCs ), at 36 %, were the largest social segment in Bihar, according to the data released. These classes were followed by the Other Overwhelming Classes, at 27.13 %, Scheduled Caste ( SC ) at 19.65 %, and scheduled Tribe at 1.668 %.
This demonstrates that a startling 84 % of the country’s population is made up of marginalized groups. It takes a step toward reiterating that clans who are marginalized are the most powerful group in India’s social composition but are still denied the options and rights that are rightfully theirs.
Only 15.52 percent of the population belongs to the upper caste ( General Category ). The Supreme Court currently has a 50 % ticket cap for the lower classes. Therefore, under Article 16 of the Indian Constitution, governments( both state and federal ) are not permitted to grant more than 50 % reservations in favor of back classes of citizens working in public employment.
The Supreme Court’s 50 % reservation cap for backward classes may be repealed as a result of the The & nbsp, Bihar caste survey. In a state where 84 % of the population belongs to the back class, the 50 % ceiling on reservations for the poor does not seem reasonable or reasonable.
It’s significant to note that in 2019, the Economic Weaker Section received 15 % reservations for upper castes or General Category 10 %. The phrase” advancement for all with all” by Modi may be called into question by this tragedy of cultural justice and equality. & nbsp,
A difficult bargain or a political masterstroke? & nbsp,
& nbsp: Several non-BJP-state chief ministers pledged to carry out similar caste surveys in their says shortly after Bihar released its data on the survey. In addition, Rahul Gandhi made it clear in tweets that if elected to power in 2024, his Congress party would do a class census at the federal level.
Even in the 545-member lower house of the Parliament( Lok Sabha ), 232 people fall under the upper caste ( General Category ), which is close to 42 % or nearly twice the OBC. The lower house of Parliament in the American legislative government chooses the nation’s leaders. The nation is ruled by the party with the majority or optimum number of members.
Hindutva, or Hindu ace, is used by the BJP to practice authoritarian government. Because of this, the party has not felt the need to placate the majority. The 15 % of upper-caste Hindus in the state, not Muslims, are the biggest participants, according to the Bihar caste population.
These statistics imply that minority issues have been used to deflect attention away from social injustice, which is India’s actual trouble. The caste-based population in Bihar may present a serious concern to the BJP’s majoritarian ideologies and claims to support the interests of the majority.
Bihar is renowned for serving as a hub for social and political actions that spread across the nation. It has previously served as India’s democratic center. Andnbsp, a number of social revolutions that erupted from the earth of Bihar have altered the political landscape of India.
When it comes to creating a political opponent with regional repercussions, Bihar has been perceived as taking the lead. You can doubt the sharpness of an a & nbsp, knife, but you should never question the razor-sharp mind, according to an Indian proverb.
Will it be a risky bet or an Nitish social indicate in 2024? Just time will tell, but generally, whenever Bihar has made a political decision, the country has acted accordingly and upheld the story.