The 2022 Bihar Caste-based survey was notified by the Government of Bihar on the 6th of June 2022, by gazette notification after a Supreme Court ruling. As Nawal Kishore Kumar in The Wire writes; this survey, conducted in two phases of house listing and caste and economic enumeration, is a revolutionary document even beyond politics. This is “a public document, the first ever after 1931, allowing for people to stand up and be counted”. What this document has done is not only limited to unraveling the state's demographic composition but it has consequently, also punctured the prevailing narrative of a united Hindu front, challenging the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) traditional stronghold. The data, while currently confined to population figures, hints at a more profound transformation in the political landscape.
With an overall OBC proportion of 63.13%, the survey highlights the substantial influence of Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs) at 36.01%. Contrary to previous estimates, the forward castes, including Brahmins, Bhumihars, Rajputs, and Kayasthas, make up only 10.6% of Bihar's population, questioning their historical dominance in public life. The data indicates a notable growth in SCs and STs, while the Muslim population shows a less steep increase. This unequivocally disrupts the BJP's strategy of relying on consolidating upper-caste votes, particularly in the Hindi heartland. The implications of this revelation becomes crucial in the context of BJP's political maneuvers, especially in their attempts to construct a Hindu vote bank as the very narrative of upper-caste dominance in India’s socio-political sphere is challenged by the caste survey; indicating a more diverse and fragmented demographic reality. This could also potentially undermine the BJP's efforts to project itself as the political representative of a unified Hindu community, which it seems, is really handful in nature.
In an interview for The Wire, sociologist Satish Deshpande’s analysis of the caste survey further complicates this narrative. He contends that the political act of counting caste, as revealed in the first installment, has implications beyond the numbers. It is crucial to understand that both counting and not counting castes are political steps in themselves and while “the politics of counting caste is good…let us [as citizens] not assume that when we are not counting caste, we are beyond politics”. This nuance adds further layers to the ongoing debate on identity politics and the BJP's strategy of playing the Hindu card. Deshpande introduces two other key approaches to caste enumeration. He dispels the myth that not counting castes will reduce caste consciousness or casteism, emphasizing that caste disparities persist regardless of enumeration practices and lastly, he emphasizes that the caste census should not be viewed as a solution or welfare measure but as a crucial step in understanding the complex socio-economic factors at play within different castes. It can be said that Deshpande’s emphasis on recognizing the covert nature of casteism aligns with the broader discourse on social justice and political representation. Confronted by the intricate social realities unveiled by the survey, it is perhaps time to reconsider the popular political strategies and narratives at play.
The electoral implications of this caste survey also remains significant. Bihar, being a political crucible, often sets the tone for national politics. The BJP's traditional reliance on upper-caste votes faces a formidable challenge with the revelation that these castes constitute only a fraction of the state's population. This could reshape the political climate vastly, prompting the party to reconsider its strategies and alliances in a landscape that defies the assumed homogeneity of the Hindu vote. This is mirrored in another recent interview for The Wire, where Yogendra Yadav comments on the survey, noting that the revelations have far-reaching implications. He emphasizes that understanding the socio-economic profiles in the next phase of the survey is crucial for a comprehensive grasp of Bihar's political dynamics highlighting that the BJP's traditional narrative of a united Hindu front is now confronted with the intricate mosaic of caste realities, demanding a nuanced approach to political strategies in the evolving socio-political landscape.
In conclusion, Bihar's caste survey is not merely a numerical exercise; it's a political watershed. Lifting the veil on social invisibility and confronting the subtleties of casteism, it also goes on to challenge entrenched narratives. With that being said, the socio-economic profiles promised in the next phase of the survey are also eagerly awaited. This will hold the key to further understandings of the intricate dynamics that will go on to shape Bihar's political future.
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