Prashant Kishor ‘s comments came as his ongoing ‘Jan Suraaj’ yatra through his home state is expected to end with the formation of a political party…reports Asian Lite News
Political strategist Prashant Kishor has said that Bihar has a lot of space for a new party as it has “maximum anti-incumbency” following the nearly 35-year rule of ideologically similar formations headed by either Lalu Prasad Yadav or Nitish Kumar.
His comments came as his ongoing ‘Jan Suraaj’ yatra through his home state is expected to end with the formation of a political party before the assembly polls in the latter half of the next year.
Once the party takes shape, it will contest every election, Kishor said.
Asked if Bihar, with two strong regional parties in Yadav-led RJD and Kumar-led Janata Dal (U) besides the formidable BJP, the Left and the Congress, has space for one more political party, he told PTI that the state has more space than other states.
“Almost similar formations built around Lalu and Nitish have been there for 35 years. They have similar ideologies more or less,” he said, noting that issues like social justice, socialism and ‘jungle raj’ have been there all these years.
“Anti-incumbency is maximum there. There has been no fundamental change in these 35 years. According to me, there is space,” he said.
Noting that it is one of the stated goals of his ‘yatra’ that people associated with it will form a political party, he said once such a party takes shape, it will contest every election.
Having worked with many political parties in shaping their election campaigns, often successfully, before launching his ‘padyatra’ in Bihar with a stated goal to usher in transformative changes to boost the backward state’s development, Kishor said he does not think he is doing anything drastically different.
What he was advising political parties and their leaders earlier, he is now directly communicating to people, be the issues they should raise or building grassroots organisation, he said.
He said when he started the ‘Jan Suraaj’ yatra on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary on October 2, 2022, he planned to identify 20 “right” people in every block but has received a massive response, with anywhere between 2,500 and 3,000 people willing to become its founder members.
Kishore said he has so far travelled through 60 per cent of the state.
Asked what role he sees for himself in the likely political party, he likened himself to a potter collecting raw materials to build a good earthen pot.
The Prime Minister also pointed at the IRCTC land-for-job scam, without naming RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, one of the prime accused in the case…reports Asian Lite News
Launching the NDA’s campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Bihar at a mega rally in Jamui district on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held the RJD and the Congress responsible for the Maoist trouble and ‘Jungle Raj’ in the state during their tenure.
“Everyone knows the kind of identity that was created for Bihar during the RJD and Congress rule when the state witnessed Maoist attacks and Jungle Raj. Maoists didn’t allow the construction of roads in places like Jamui, which adversely affected the farmers, labourers and poor people of the region.
“Now, Maoism is finished in Bihar with many radical operatives joining the mainstream after surrendering. Their children are going to schools now,” PM Modi said in Jamui.
The Prime Minister also pointed at the IRCTC land-for-job scam, without naming RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, one of the prime accused in the case.
“They grabbed lands of the poor people to give jobs in the Railways. Such people can never do any good. Nitish Kumar was also the Railway Minister of the country, but there were no complaints against him. The condition of trains was poor during the Congress rule, but now trains like Vande Bharat Express are running across the country.
“We also want to make the railway stations in Bihar world-class. The facilities at the railway stations will be similar to those seen at the airports. We are building highways and expressways in Bihar with the help of Nitish Kumar,” the Prime Minister said.
Stating that the coming elections are decisive for the development of the country as well as Bihar, PM Modi said, “Ten years back, the world looked at India as a poor country. Smaller nations used to carry out terror attacks in the country, but the Congress leaders only complained about such incidents in the world fora.
“But now we launch strikes against such elements by entering their country. People of the world are looking up to India now. Our country is the fifth largest economy in the world today. India held the G-20 Summit in Delhi and the entire world paid attention to it. The credit for all these goes to the common people of the country.”
The Prime Minister also said that all the corrupt forces have now teamed up against his government.
“We constructed the Ram Temple in Ayodhya despite the Congress and the RJD trying their best to ensure that it was not built. They also insulted (former Bihar Chief Minister) late Karpoori Thakur, but we have conferred him with the Bharat Ratna,” Modi said.
He also remembered his ‘old friend’ late Ram Vilas Paswan at the rally.
“Today I am missing my old friend Ram Vilas Paswan who is not with us. But his son Chirag Paswan is promoting his ideology in Bihar. I want to appeal to the people of Jamui to vote for NDA nominee Arun Bharti, which will please Ram Vilas Paswan,” he said.
Paswan factor gives NDA edge in Hajipur
The Hajipur reserved Lok Sabha seat in Bihar first came to the limelight when Ram Vilas Paswan contested from it in the 1977 Lok Sabha election and won with the record margins of more than 4 lakh votes, getting his name registered in the Guinness World Records.
Ram Vilas Paswan won this seat in 1980, 1989, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2014, and his younger brother LJP’s Pashupati Kumar Paras won from there in 2019, reinforcing it as a stronghold of the Paswan family.
Ram Vilas Paswan just lost two elections from the Hajipur seat — in 1984 and 2009.
In 1984, there was a Congress wave in the country following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. At that time, Ram Ratan Ram of Congress defeated him.
In 2009, JD-U candidate Ram Sundar Das, who was part of the NDA, defeated Ram Vilas Paswan in Hajipur. In 1991, Ram Vilas Paswan contested the Lok Sabha election from the Rosera seat.
Jamui: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary, Lok Janshakti (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan and others during a public meeting ahead of Lok Sabha elections, in Jamui, Thursday, April 4, 2024.(IANS)
In the last three elections — 2009, 2014 and 2019, NDA candidates have dominated in Hajipur.
In 2014, LJP was part of the NDA and Ram Vilas Paswan won the seat, defeating Congress’ Sanjeev Prasad Tony. Sitting MP Ram Sundar Das came in the third position as the JD-U had contested that election alone.
In 2019, Ram Vilas Paswan gave the ticket to his younger brother Pashupati Kumar Paras to contest from Hajipur, who won the seat by defeating RJD’s Shiv Chandra Ram.
In 2024, the contest is between the NDA and the Bihar’s Mahagathbandhan.
Chirag Paswan, son of late Ram Vilas Paswan, is NDA’s candidate from Hajipur and the responsibility to save the family’s political legacy lies on his shoulder this time.
The RJD has fielded Sheochandra Ram from Hajipur.
Chirag Paswan also heaved a sigh of relief after his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras decided to stay in the NDA and support Chirag Paswan despite being dropped from the Hajipur seat.
The people of Hajipur supported the Paswan family for more than four decades. When Ram Vilas Paswan was the Railway Minister, he facilitated the opening of the Zonal Office of East Central Railway in Hajipur. Similarly, he gave the Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) to Hajipur when he was Union Chemical and Fertilizer Minister between 2004 to 2009.
Also, a National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) was established in Hajipur during Ram Vilas Paswan’s tenure as a Central minister.
When Pashupati Kumar Paras was a minister in the Centre, he was instrumental in the opening of the National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM).
Chirag Paswan has an edge on this seat and the caste equation also supports him.
The people from the Paswan community considered Chirag Paswan as their leader after the death of his father. As LJP-Ram Vilas is an alliance partner of the NDA, the upper caste voters are also likely to support Chirag Paswan in Hajipur.
A sizable number of Kurmi-Kushwaha voters, who support the JD-U, in the constituency also comes as an added advantage for the NDA candidate.
Hajipur has around 19.5 lakh voters, which includes 10.22 lakh males and 9.26 females.
As far as the caste equation is concerned, there are around 3 lakh Paswan voters in Hajipur; there are also 3 lakh each voters belonging to the Yadav and Rajput communities.
Muslim (2 lakh), Bhumihar (1 lakh), Kushwaha (1.5 lakh), Brahmin (80,000), Kurmi (50,000), and Dalit-Mahadalits and others have a population of more than 3 lakh.
Hajipur Lok Sabha constituency comprises six assembly segments — Hajipur, Mahua, Lalganj, Mahnar, Raghopur and Rajapakar. Four of them were won by the Mahagathbandhan and two by NDA in the 2020 Assembly elections.
Voting in Hajipur is scheduled to be held on May 20.
The Yatra, being conducted ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, will continue till March 1. The Yatra will pass through 33 districts of the state, marking a statewide tour…reports Asian Lite News
Around 7.64 crore eligible voters can exercise their franchise for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Bihar, according to Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
Rajiv Kumar informed at a press conference in Patna on Wednesday that there are 9.26 lakh first time voters in the age group of 18-19 in the state. There are 21, 680 voters above the age of 100 years.
He said out of 7.64 crore voters, there are 1.6 crore voters in the age group of 20-29.
“The role of the youth is going to be very great significance in this election,” the Chief Election Commissioner said.
The Chief Election Commissioner also informed that there are 6.3 lakhs Persons with a disability (PWD) voters in the state.
The EC also informed that there are 4 crore male crore voters while 3.6 crore voters are female.
He also informed that there are 14.5 lakh senior citizen voters in the state.
The CEC also informed at the press conference that the commisison held meetings with representatives of different national political parties in the run up to the general elections in the last two days.
The commission said it has deleted 16.7 lakh from the electoral rolls due to death and shifting of voters to another place.
“In Bihar, there are 7.64 crore voters, out of which 4 crore are male and 3.6 crore are female… 21,680 voters are above 100 years of age. 9.26 lakhs are first-time voters…,” the CEC added.
He also appealed people to cast their vote with out any fear at the time of voting. “I appeal to people to go to vote without any fear”.
The dates for the Lok Sabha elections are expected to be announced in the next month.
Meanwhile, former Bihar CM and RJD leader Rabri Devi on Tuesday took a dig at former ally and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar saying he had joined the RJD alliance on his own the last time and this time he had left on his own accord without any pressure.
“He (Nitish Kumar) joined us on his own last time, we never called him. This time as well he has left on his own, no one forced him . An investigation has been going on against us for the last 25 years. ED, CBI, nothing new is there… The people of Bihar and the country are with us,” said RJD leader Rabri Devi.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, earlier last month, joined hands with the BJP, leading to the collapse of the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government in the state.
Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav will kickstart the ‘Jan Vishwas Yatra’ from Muzaffarpur on Wednesday.
The Yatra, being conducted ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, will continue till March 1. The Yatra will pass through 33 districts of the state, marking a statewide tour.
Tejashwi Yadav will hold public meetings and raise awareness about the work done by the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ government before being ousted from power. The district in charge(s) of the RJD, meanwhile, are making preparations for the smooth and successful conduct of the Yatra.
Earlier on Friday, Yadav joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ in Bihar’s Sasaram.
The RJD and the Congress are allies in the INDIA bloc, formed to take on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha polls in 2024.
Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the ninth time since 2005 and the third time in a single tenure.
The RJD and the JDU were allies in the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ alliance, formed in 2015 before the state assembly polls. (ANI)
Deputy speaker Maheshwar Hazari did not vote in the assembly as the Nitish Kumar already crossed the magic figure of 122….reports Asian Lite News
Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar comfortably managed to win the vote of trust on Monday.
The Nitish Kumar government got 129 votes in Bihar assembly while the opposition leaders walked out from the House. Three RJD MLAs — Chetan Anand of Sheohar, Neelam Devi of Mokama and Prahlad Yadav — voted in favour of Nitish Kumar government.
Deputy speaker Maheshwar Hazari did not vote in the assembly as the Nitish Kumar already crossed the magic figure of 122. If the situation was tight, then he might have cast his vote in the favour of Nitish Kumar government. Hazari is a MLA of JD-U.
After winning the vote of trust, former industry minister Shahnawaz Hussain congratulated Nitish Kumar for the victory. “Under the guidance of PM Narendra Modi and the leadership of Nitish Kumar, the double-engine government will work at a rapid pace in Bihar for the development. It is a new start for the new mission with new energy.”
RJD and Mahagathbandhan played well during the vote of trust but they failed at the last moment due to the three RJD leaders who cross-voted.
NDA leaders had earlier claimed that they have the majority of 128 MLAs in Bihar assembly. RJD MLAs Chetan Anand, Neelam Devi and Prahlad Yadav were involved in cross-voting. They changed the camp following the no confidence motion passed against Speaker Awadh Bihari Choudhary.
Tejashwi wonders what made Nitish return to NDA
During the debate on the no-confidence motion in the Bihar Assembly on Monday, RJD leader and former Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said he always considered Chief Minister Nitish Kumar as a father figure, and wondered what made the JD-U chief ditch the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and return to the NDA led by the BJP.
“I always considered Nitish Kumar as ‘Dashrath’ (character from ‘Ramayan’). I don’t know what forced him to leave the ‘Mahagathbandhan’,” Tejashwi said.
“I also want to congratulate Nitish Ji for being sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for the ninth time, including thrice in one term. Can anyone take the guarantee that he will not switch sides again,” the RJD leader said on the floor of the House.
“But I still have respect for Nitish Kumar. We had supported him following his call to unite the forces against communalism in the country. In the run up to the 2020 Assembly elections, I had promised the people of Bihar to give 10 lakh government jobs. Now people of the country have seen how government jobs were given to the common youth,” Yadav said.
“After visiting the Raj Bhavan, Nitish Kumar had said he is not feeling well in the company of RJD. Are we singers and dancers who came for JD-U’s entertainment? We came here to do work. The works which were looking impossible, we made them possible.
“I am happy to be in the opposition. The people of the country have seen the work we did in the past 17 months. No other government did such work,” Yadav said.
The event marked the beginning of a promising partnership between Dubai and Bihar, and it served as a crucial step towards promoting investment and fostering economic cooperation between the two regions…reports Asian Lite News
The Government of Bihar, India, has achieved a significant milestone by successfully organizing its maiden Investors Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The summit, which took place on October 11, 2023, served as a platform to showcase the immense investment opportunities that the state of Bihar has to offer. Delegates from more than 60 prominent companies in Dubai, including Crown UAE, GBS Dubai, GBF Middle East, Fine Tools, Asia Pharma, and Gulf Islamic Investments, participated in the event, reaffirming the growing interest in Bihar’s investment potential.
The summit was graced by the presence of Mr Suresh Kumar, Chairman of IBPC Dubai, who shared his insights and support for the emerging partnership between Dubai and Bihar. Mr Vivek Kumar Singh, the Development Commissioner of Bihar and Additional Chief Secretary of the Department of Industries, Government of Bihar, India Mr Sandeep Poundrik represented the Government of Bihar and addressed the gathering, highlighting the diverse opportunities and advantages that make Bihar an attractive investment destination for companies in Dubai.
Speaking at the event, Mr Vivek Kumar Singh, Development Commissioner of Bihar, said, “Bihar, with its strategic location, robust infrastructure, skilled workforce, and a pro-business environment, is poised for substantial growth. We invite companies from Dubai and UAE at large to explore the possibilities that Bihar offers. From manufacturing to technology, agriculture to tourism, Bihar’s potential is vast and diverse. We are committed to facilitating investment and ensuring a supportive ecosystem for companies looking to invest and expand in our state.”
The summit provided a unique opportunity for participants to engage with officials from the Government of Bihar, gaining valuable insights into the state’s business landscape and potential sectors for investment. Discussions and interactive sessions allowed attendees to gain a comprehensive understanding of the growth prospects and the ease of doing business in Bihar.
Mr Sandeep Poundrik, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Industries, Government of Bihar, India, said “We are delighted to witness the growing interest and recognition of Bihar’s investment potential. Bihar, a key player in India’s food grain production, offers abundant agri-product export opportunities to the UAE. Bihar produces the highest quality food grains, vegetables and fruits and we are eager to explore avenues for exporting Bihar’s produce to the UAE. Makhana, Mangoes, Litchi (with GI Tag certification), and Katarni rice are some of the best produce of Bihar. This marks the beginning of a mutually beneficial partnership, and we are committed to spurring trade and investment relations for the prosperity of both regions.”
The event marked the beginning of a promising partnership between Dubai and Bihar, and it served as a crucial step towards promoting investment and fostering economic cooperation between the two regions.
The Government of Bihar looks forward to building strong, mutually beneficial relationships with Dubai-based companies and is committed to providing a conducive environment for growth and development.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav who are well aware of the caste combinations of Bihar, released the data of the caste based survey on October 2 with the aim to clear the confusion among people about their numbers.
Caste is the biggest factor to define the social structure of Bihar and people choose their life partner and elect their representatives from the same caste as theirs.
There is a perception here that people from the same caste may be better disposed and more trustworthy than people from other castes.
Politicians, especially in the current ruling parties, understand this mentality of the people and went for the caste based survey to make people aware about their actual strength.
Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav who are well aware of the caste combinations of Bihar, released the data of the caste based survey on October 2 with the aim to clear the confusion among people about their numbers. Also, the chance of creating confusion in the minds of voters by the political parties would no longer fully apply in Bihar following this report.
The Bihar government has counted 215 castes and their actual numbers. This would turn out to be a master stroke by Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, to counter the Narendra Modi led BJP.
For Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad, the caste based survey is similar to the Mandal Commission report that was brought by Vishawanath Pratap Singh after assuming power at the Centre. At that time, he was confronting the Congress party which was represented by and large by people of the upper castes. Now, the upper castes are the core voters of the BJP and Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar released the caste based survey to defeat the saffron party.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in a conversation with Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav.(Photo IANS)
The two know that the Lok Sabha election 2024 would be fought around the OBCs and PM Narendra Modi will play this card to lure the voters in the country and Bihar. Nitish and Lalu Prasad knew that the numbers of OBC and EBC are higher in Bihar and they came up with the actual numbers to avoid any confusion among the voters. Moreover, they do not want the BJP to create confusion in Bihar in the name of the OBCs.
Shivanand Tiwari, the national vice president of the RJD said: “Narendra Modi became scared after the release of the caste based survey and the way he is choosing his words betrays his uneasiness. On the other hand, the deprived section of society is also feeling uneasy. They have contributed their labour and hard work in building the nation but their status is similar to second class.”
Over the years, the BJP has come to be known as the party of the upper castes. They are the core voters of the BJP and are 15.52% including Bhumihars who are 2.86%, Brahmins are 3.66%, Rajputs are 3.45%, and Kayasthas are 0.60% in Bihar.
On the other hand, Nitish Kumar has core voters who come from the Lav-Kush equation where Lav stands for Kurmis having 2.87% and Kush stands for Kushwaha who are 4.21% in Bihar. Moreover, he has a stronghold among OBC and EBC voters. Lalu Prasad has the Muslims and Yadavs who are 17.7% with the Yadavs at 14%. A sizable vote bank of Scheduled Castes (19%) EBC and OBC also support Lalu Prasad. So, these two are well ahead of the BJP on this count.
In the past, the upper castes who are lower in numbers, dominated over the OBC, EBC and Scheduled Castes who have higher numbers. Lalu Prasad had given voice to the these suppressed castes and turned out to be a leader of social justice. Following that, a number of massacres took place in Bihar especially in Bhojpur, Jahanabad, Gaya and some other districts. Nitish Kumar has also carried the same baton and the pain of untouchability and massacres are in the minds of the upper and lower caste people. They have chosen their political parties in Bihar.
The people of the lower castes know that the BJP is a party of the upper castes and hence they cannot go with it. As a result, the BJP failed to form the government in Bihar on its own. The upper castes do not have enough strength to form the government. The BJP stayed in power in Bihar but with the help of Nitish Kumar.
Nitish Kumar also knew that his individual position would not be good enough to secure power in the state as the Kurmi and Kushwaha are 2.87% and 4.21% respectively and hence he took support of either the BJP or the RJD.
Lalu Prasad emerged as the biggest beneficiary of the caste based survey with his core voters Muslims at 17.7% and Yadavs at 14%.
The political parties more or less knew about the strength of their core voters but the voters themselves did not know until the caste based survey report. Now, they know their actual strength and creating confusion by any particular party will not be possible from now on.
This is probably the reason why, the BJP started the game of Hindus and Muslims in Bihar.
As per the report, Bihar has a population of 13 crore, 7 lakh, 25,000 and 310 with Hindus at 81.9%, Muslims 17.7%, Christians are 0.05%, Sikhs 0.01%, Bodh 0.08%, Jains 0.0096% and other religions at 0.12%.
BJP MLA from Madhubani (Bipsi assembly constituency) Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul demanded that the Nitish Kumar government declare Bihar as a Hindu state with the aim to avoid polarizing voters on the basis of caste and sub castes and that they vote on the basis of religion.
BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda came to Patna on October 4 and held a closed door meeting with the party MPs for 30 minutes.
Sources said that he asked them to go to their constituencies and take feedback from the voters. He also said that if the feedback is positive they should establish good relations with them and if anyone gives negative feedback, try to resolve their grievances.
He also told them to spread awareness about women’s reservation, concentrate on the OBC vote bank, target Lalu Prasad but avoid Nitish Kumar and alliance partners.
Bihar Caste Survey: 27% Backward Classes, 36% Extremely Backward Classes…reports Asian Lite News
The Bihar government released the much-awaited caste-based survey on the day of Mahatma Gandhi’s Jayanti on Monday.
As per the report, Bihar has a population of over 13 crore people, of which the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) comprise 36.01 per cent of the population, the Other Backward Classes (OBC) 27 per cent, Scheduled Castes 19.65 per cent, Scheduled Tribes 1.68 per cent, while the Upper Castes constitute 15.52 per cent of the population. Among the Backward Classes, Yadavs constitute 14.26 per cent of the population while the Kushwahas and Kurmis are 4.27 per cent and 2.87 per cent, respectively.
The caste-based survey was passed in both Houses of the Bihar Vidhan Mandal last year and every political party gave consent for it.
However, some groups and individuals approached the Patna High Court and Supreme Court against it. But after the top court cleared the decks for it, the survey was completed.
The report further said that the Hindu community constituted 81.9 per cent of the population of Bihar, Muslims 17.7 per cent, Christians 0.05 per cent, Sikhs 0.01 per cent, Buddhists 0.08 per cent, Jains 0.0096 per cent and other religions 0.12 per cent.
As far as major castes are concerned, the upper castes constitute 15.52 per cent, including Bhumihars at 2.86 per cent, Brahmins at 3.66 per cent, Rajputs at 3.45 per cent and Kayasthas 0.60 per cent.
Besides, Kurmis are 2.87 per cent, Mushar are 3 per cent, Yadavs are 14.26 per cent, Kushwaha 4.27 per cent, Kurmis 2.87 per cent, Chandravanshis 1.64 per cent, Dhanuk 2.13 per cent, Dhobi 0.83 per cent, Naayi 1.59 per cent, Nonia 1.91 per cent, Kumhar 1.40 per cent, Pasi (Paswan) 0.98 per cent, Badhai 1.45 per cent, Lohar 0.15 per cent, Sonar 0.68 per cent, halwai 0.60 per cent, Aghori 0.069 per cent, Adrakhi 0.02 per cent, Abdal 0.0087 per cent, Amat 0.21 per cent, Asur, 0.059 per cent, Awadh Bania 0.03 per cent and Muslim Darji 0.25 per cent.
Rahul: It’s important to know caste statistics
Hours after Bihar government released the case based census, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday once again reiterated his demand of the greater the population, the greater the rights.
He said that the census has revealed that OBC, Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes (ST) are 84 per cent in the state and therefore it is important to know the caste statistics of India.
“The caste census of Bihar has revealed that OBC (other backward classes), SC and STs are 84 per cent there. Out of 90 secretaries of the Central Government, only three are OBCs, who handle only 5 per cent of India’s budget,” Rahul Gandhi wrote on X.
“Therefore, it is important to know the caste statistics of India. The greater the population, the greater the rights – this is our pledge,” the Lok Sabha MP from Kerala’s Wayanad said.
His remarks came after the Bihar government on the occasion of the Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary released the much-awaited caste-based survey.
Even Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh in a post on X, said, “The Bihar government has just released the results of the Caste Survey conducted by it in the state.”
“While welcoming the initiative and recalling similar earlier surveys in other states like Karnataka by Congress governments, the Indian National Congress reiterates its demand that the Union government conduct a national Caste Census at the earliest.
“The UPA-2 government had, in fact, completed this Census but its results were not published by the Modi government. Such a Census has become essential for providing a firmer foundation for social empowerment programmes and for deepening social justice,” Ramesh said.
Babur, a renowned Indian restaurant, the jewel in South East London’s culinary crown, is celebrating its 38th year with a unique flavour-fuelled tasting tour of the region of Bihar. In celebration of this anniversary, Babur will be shining a spotlight on the bounty of Bihari cuisine– one of the earthy styles of cooking from the north-eastern part of India. A preview feature by columnist Riccha Grrover for Asian Lite International.
In true Babur essence, the family-run restaurant’s latest milestone is cause for both celebration and exploration. A reason to delve further into the unique regional cuisines of India and showcase dishes that are deep-rooted in the country’s culinary culture.
Bihari food is one of the rustic and wholesome styles of cuisine characterised by its prominent use of several spice blends and cooking methods from charring and one pot to slow cooking, Bihari is considered a unique soul food of the country. Babur’s talented sous chef Praveen Kumar Gupta hails from Bihar and brought back with him plenty of inspiration to create an authentic, one-of-a-kind menu from his recent travels back home.
Creating the perfect summer excursion for the senses, Babur’s new Taste of Bihar menu, available from 20th July to 17th September, 2023 includes starters of: Litti & Chokha, a cult classic from the region that is essentially an ancient Indian version of a dough-ball stuffed with spiced roasted gram flour and ghee then charred over charcoal and served with charcoal roasted spiced aubergine, red onion, and tomato salsa. Madhubani fried fish coats cod cheek fritters with spices of roasted cumin and black peppercorn, alongside mint and pickled baby onion.
Mains transport you through local villages with Dehati Chicken, Swede chokha, a rustic chicken thigh curry layered with flavours of black peppercorn, cardamon, and pink onion. Champaran Gosht, Sattu paratha is hot and spicy dish of kid goat on the bone, slow cooked into clay pot with rustic garam masala and whole garlic; while Dudhi ki tokri, stuffed courgette blossom is a veggie’s delight with chargrilled courgette tart, spiced soft cheese and turmeric rice water.
For dessert, there’s only one extra special option, Makahne ki Kheer, caramelised lotus flower – a dreamy, creamy condensed Lotus flower pudding made with evaporated milk, green cardamom, rose and caramel.
Babur is kicking off its 38th Baburthday with a grand soiree in both the restaurant and majestic Rajasthani marquee on Wednesday 19th July from 6:30pm. Get your tickets and be the first to experience the exquisite Taste of Bihar with a five-course tasting menu and wine pairings, alongside a welcome cocktail and live entertainment.
Let the team welcome you aboard the latest expedition, raise a glass and say Happy Birthday to Babur.
BJP has Saptrishis and Panna Pramukh which work at booth levels. The new government under the leadership of Nitish Kumar is likely to target those workers…reports Asian Lite News
With Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav taking oaths as chief minister and deputy chief minister of Bihar on Wednesday, the going for BJP will sure not be smooth in the state.
Soon after the JD(U)-BJP split, a police official pasted “former” against the name plate of deputy chief minister Tar Kishore Prasad.
According to sources, the new government will go hard on BJP leaders and workers if they caught on the wrong sie of the law.
The primary objective of the new Nitish Kumar government is to destroy the structural organisation of BJP and RSS in Bihar, they added.
Kumar may give Tejashwi Yadav a charge to carry out a “surgical strike” on BJP and RSS sympathisers. If they were involved in any communal activities, strong action can be expected in a bid to weaken the structures of the saffron brigade.
BJP has Saptrishis and Panna Pramukh which work at booth levels. The new government under the leadership of Nitish Kumar is likely to target those workers.
JD-U has already levelled serious allegations against the BJP that it was involved in weakening the structure of former. Now, it is the right time to weaken the BJP and RSS in Bihar like Chief Minister Mamata Benerjee did in West Bengal ahead of the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
BJP is already being criticised for price rise of essential commodities, apart from unemployment, terrorism, national security etc. It is also facing anti-incumbency sentiments across the country and Nitish Kumar, who is considered as having one of the sharpest political brains in the country, knew what would be the ideal time to take the position of his party.
Sources have said that BJP is aiming for “Opposition Mukt Bharat” in the country. Now, the opposition leaders are doing just the opposite and alienating BJP.
Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday said that BJP has no alliance partners in North India except Uttar Pradesh where extremely smaller parties are in alliance with it.
BJP state president Sanjay Jaiswal has decided to stage a dharna outside the party office. He has also asked leaders of his party to do the same at district, block and Panchayat level.
Notably this time, the BJP has not taken an agressive stance after losing the government in Bihar. The ED, CBI, Income Tax effect are not being used by the central leadership as the JD(U) only hinted about the proof (Telephonic audio conversation) it has to expose the saffron leaders.
In case BJP uses the central agencies against Nitish Kumar or the leaders of Mahagathbandhan, he would use those proofs to ruin the image of BJP leaders. That may severely hit the preparation of BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
During the tenure of JD(U)-BJP government in Bihar, scandals like Srijan scam, Muzaffarpur shelter home case and others took place which are with CBI.
Nitish Kumar has also raked up some of the corruption cases against BJP ministers like Ram Surat Rai, who is facing charges of transfer-posting scam in the land reforms and revenue ministry , which he was owning during the JD-U-BJP combined government. Tar Kishore Prasad, the former chief minister of Bihar is also facing the charges of scam in the “Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal” programme when he was involved in allotting some contracts to his family members and relatives.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Janata Dal-United and the Hindustani Awam Morcha are holding meetings of their legislators today…reports Asian Lite News
Amid speculation that Bihar’s Janata Dal-United might separate from the NDA in Bihar, RJD state President Jagadanand Singh claimed that his party is ready for every war.
He, however, denied any kind of pact with JD-U at this juncture.
“We have not given any proposal or invitation to Nitish Kumar to join the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. We have called for the meeting on Tuesday to prepare plans for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha and 2025 Vidhan Sabha election. We are ready to fight any war,” Singh said.
Apart from the RJD, the JD-U and the HAM also announced meetings of their legislators on Tuesday.
JD-U state President Umesh Kushwaha said: “Tomorrow’s (Tuesday) meeting is being held to take the feedback of our MLAs, MLCs and MPs about the current situation.”
Interestingly, JD-U national President Lalan Singh said: “We have called a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the situation arising due to the R.C.P. Singh episode. Nitish Kumar will be chairing the meeting and legislators and MPs will put their points.”
Jitan Ram Manjhi, the patron of Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) is the only leader who claimed that what would be the decision taken by Nitish Kumar, his party will support him. HAM is with Nitish Kumar and JD-U. However, he also said that the NDA is intact and Nitish Kumar will rule the state.
Meanwhile, a JD-U MLA said: “Our top leadership has asked every MLA to reach Patna by 8 a.m. on Tuesday. At present, we do not know what will happen in the meeting but I expect that a big political storm will come up after the meeting. CM Nitish Kumar and national President Lalan Singh will be expected to take a big decision that decides the fate of the NDA in Bihar.”
Present option for BJP
The BJP is running out of options to do the damage control. Sources said that the party’s top leadership desperately wants to stay in power till 2024 and at the same time it is also taking a dig at JD(U). The BJP state president in particular frequently attacked the Nitish Kumar government apart from other leaders.
The roadshow of Amit Shah and J.P. Nadda in Patna on July 31 could be the final nail in the souring political relation between the BJP and JD(U).
The BJP did the ‘Prawas’ programme in 200 Assembly constituencies of Bihar, which has been taken as a threat by the JD(U). The party’s think tank realised that the BJP is violating the alliance norms. Hence, Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, the national president of JD(U) said that the BJP was free to do Prawas programme in all 243 seats and the JD(U) is also entitled to do the same.
In case of the formation of a new government in Bihar, Nitish Kumar, who is considered as having a sharp political brain, would not resign from the chief minister post, like he did in 2017 after he broke the alliance with Mahagathbandhan and formed the government with BJP. At that time, Nitish Kumar knew that the Governor was appointed by BJP and it would not impose the President’s rule in the state.
At present, the same Governor is in the Raj Bhawan. Nitish Kumar, has the power to sack every minister of the BJP from his cabinet and appoint MLAs of RJD, Congress and Left parties as ministers. He did the same in 2013 and he may repeat the same in 2022.
In case of the BJP applying pressure on the Governor to ask Nitish Kumar to prove the majority in the House, he would prove it with the help of RJD, Congress and the Left parties.
Nitish Kumar is also feeling uneasy with the track record of BJP. The saffron party, over the years, has been weakening its alliance partners like its oldest allies Shiv Sena and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). Nitish Kumar probably believes that if he stays with the BJP for too long, it may hurt his party. Lalan Singh has already said that the BJP conspired against JD(U) in the 2020 Assembly election by using Chirag (Chirag Paswan) model. As a result, the party reached 43 seats in the Bihar Assembly. In 2015, JD(U) had 69 seats.
Nitish Kumar may use corruption cases against the BJP ministers as a tool to exit from the NDA. Ram Surat Rai, the land reforms and revenue minister is facing the charges of transfer-posting case and Tar Kishore Prasad, the deputy CM is facing the corruption charges of alloting contracts of ‘Har Ghar Nal Ka Jal’ to his family members.
