The Congress party has applauded the Bihar government’s release of caste census findings and urged the central government to conduct a nationwide census for social justice and empowerment. Rahul Gandhi emphasized that Bihar’s census revealed 84% of the population comprises OBCs, SCs, and STs, warranting fair representation. Jairam Ramesh noted the UPA-2 government conducted a census, but the results weren’t published by the Modi government. A national caste census is vital for strengthening social empowerment and justice initiatives, he added.
The Congress warned that if the Modi government doesn’t conduct a caste census, it will do so once in power to ensure equitable representation. Bihar’s caste-based census underscores the need for such a nationwide effort.
Bihar’s survey revealed OBCs and EBCs make up 63% of the state’s population, with Yadavs being the largest OBC group at 14.27%. Dalits represent 19.65% of Bihar’s population, while “upper castes” constitute 15.52%. The state is also home to 22 lakh people from Scheduled Tribes, making up 1.68% of the population.
