Just counting castes not enough, reveal findings of socio-economic survey as well: Kushwaha

The NDA ally says the socio-economic survey is critical to know which castes among OBCs and EBCs need special priority; raises concerns about the methodology and sample size of the caste survey

Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal chief Upendra Kushwaha has demanded the release of the findings of the Bihar socio-economic survey. File | Photo Credit: ANI

Rashtriya Lok Janata Dal leader Upendra Kushwaha, an ally of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has demanded the release of the findings of the Bihar socio-economic survey — which was conducted alongside the caste survey whose results have caused a furore since it was made public — arguing that this would provide a “full picture” to policy framers to address inequality.

It would especially reveal whether certain dominant communities within the other backward classes (OBCs) and extremely backward classes (EBCs) have cornered the benefits of reservations, leaving out others in these blocs.

“That can only be determined if the findings of the socio-economic survey are also revealed,” Mr. Kushwaha emphasised.

He also raised doubts about the methodology and sample size of the caste survey, asking that these be made public at every gram panchayat in the State.

Inequity within OBCs, EBCs

“Just counting castes is not helpful in framing policy. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said that the survey will be used to address inequity, but without the socio-economic survey, how can one know which castes among the OBCs and EBCs need special priority,” he said.

While not stating it explicitly, Mr. Kushwaha has been reflecting some of the concerns among his community, who believe the socio-economic survey will reveal that only a couple of castes — namely the Yadav and Kurmi communities — have cornered all the benefits of reservations for the OBC bloc so far, leaving others such as the Kushwaha-Koeri groups out in the cold.

Mr. Kushwaha was a Union Minister in the last NDA government before he left the alliance ahead of the 2019 polls, later merging his party with Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), before again leaving the JD(U) in 2023.

‘Hasty job’

He also raised concerns about the enumeration process of the caste survey itself. “I feel that in order to tell the court that it was already near completing the caste survey, in the face of legal challenges to the process, the Bihar government did a hasty job,” he said. Many villages, he added, had not had any visits from enumerators. “Nobody came to my own family either,” he noted.

“I would suggest that just as the Election Commission of India puts out a draft of the electoral rolls at every polling booth for voters to file their objections before finalisation, the Bihar government should post the caste enumeration of every village at the office of the gram panchayats there, so that there is no doubt over the numbers, and people can raise objections if required,” he added.