A brief Profile of Bihar's Dalit

Dalit in Bihar

The Scheduled castes, also known as the Harijan, the Antyaja, Dalit, Pancham, Exterior castes or the untouchables, form a substantial segment of the Indian population. They are split into about eleven hundred castes and sub-castes. Some of these groups in different states share a common identity and sometimes a common name. If the list is consolidated by these similarities, the total will be over 400. Each has a name, a separate occupation, its own set of rules and, more often than not, its own mechanism for social control. The scheduled castes are not equal in social status and are arranged in hierarchical order as caste and sub-castes and practice untouchability among themselves. They do not eat together, accept water from the hands of any other scheduled caste groups and do not allow intermarriage among the different groups.

 

The scheduled castes are at the bottom of Indian social hierarchy. They are characterized by two key words – population and poverty. The stigma of pollution is attached to the groups, presumingly because of their past or present defiling professions with which they eke out their livelihood. The stigma is life long and cannot be eliminated by any rite of expiation. Because of this, even though most of them are no longer in the defiling professions, the stigma continues. Pollution is not just confined to the realm of ritual but it has ramifications in the economic and political fields also. Pollution leads to discrimination. Their interaction with the caste Hindus is limited and they are segregated in settlements outside the village. The bulk of the scheduled castes are landless and almost destitute. Even if they hold land, it is often in small quantity, infertile, unirrigated and economically unviable. A large segment of the scheduled castes do not have homestead land. They build their huts on the land belonging to landowners who employ them as share croppers and or attached or bonded labourer. Their extreme poverty and unhygienic living condition make them suffer from malnutrition and onset of diseases. Consequently they are in perpetual debt. Once in debt they continue to be in debt from generation to generation, as they have no means to get out it. This has ensured the continuance of the bonded labourer system, even though it has been abolished by law. In addition to their abject dependence on local landowners for their livelihood, widespread illiteracy has frustrated their efforts to diversify in other occupations.

Since independence, efforts have been made by the government to raise their social, economic and political positions. The government has attempted to deal with their problems in three ways. First , there are numerous constitutional and other legal provisions aimed at removing discrimination against the scheduled castes and to grant them the same rights and privileges as other citizens. Secondly, there are general development programmes to aid landless agricultural, slum dwellers in towns, schemes for low income groups and special schemes for the scheduled castes. Thirdly, the government with the policy of protective discrimination has ensured their representation to Parliament and state legislatures, their claim to jobs, education, scholarship, grants and loan. The state government through ``Bihar Panchayat Raj Ordinance, 2006’’, has ensured proportional representation of the scheduled castes to the Gram

Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads. 50% of the reserved seats would be represented by their women folk. Steps taken by the government has ensured social mobility. Many scheduled caste persons have been able to secure jobs in the government as well as in public sector enterprises. They now enjoy certain amount of power. But the benefits of protective discrimination have accrued to certain communities, and in some cases, to certain family clusters in particular communities. The bulk of the scheduled castes in the villages are as helpless as before and depend solely on the mercy of the other landowning communities to eke out their livelihood.

At the political level they become easy prey to oppression by the dominant population groups. Some of them, after being elected to state legislatures or Parliament, have snapped off their contact with the general mass of the scheduled castes. But the influence of their efforts for the development of the scheduled castes in general have engendered some awareness of their socio-economic condition. The Dalit and the Naxalite movements have given the scheduled castes insights to challenge the oppressive socio-economic system and inspired them to move ahead. In Bihar, 23 castes have been included in the scheduled caste list. They constitute a sizeable section of Bihar ‘s population. Out of a total population of 1.30 crore, 93% of lives in rural areas. The literacy percentage is 28.5 as against 47% for the state as a whole. The scheduled caste population had gone up by 4,76,908 persons which accounted for 3.79% growth rate. In 2001, their population stood at 1.30 crores which accounts for 15.7% of the total population of the state. About 46% the Scheduled caste population is located in north Bihar.

The scheduled castes are scattered throughout the state. The bulk of them are located in South Bihar. The density of their population varies from district to district. They have a high concentration in the districts of Gaya (29%), Vaishali (20.7%), Nalanda (20%). Among the scheduled castes, percentage of workers is 37.4% (1991 Census), out of which 35.07% are main workers and 2.33% are marginal workers. The percentage of male workers is 50.11% out of which only 0.33% are marginal workers whereas the percentage of female workers. Among the total main scheduled caste workers, only 8.8% are cultivators, whereas 72.25% are agricultural labourers. The sex distribution of the workers shows that 84.46% female workers are agricultural workers as against 68% male agricultural workers. While 9.4% female workers are recorded as cultivators, 17.8% of male workers are so. It is thus seen that over 81% of the workers are in agricultural sector, while 93.8% female workers depend on agricultural sector, the number of male counterpart is 76.8%. It is presumed that a large section of the scheduled castes are also engaged in their respective traditional occupation. But since caste-wise information is not available now, it is difficult to ascertain their number.

In education, their level is extremely poor. In 1981, the rate of literacy was 10.4% which had gone up to 19.49% and then to 28.5% in 2001. Although female literacy among them had increased from 1.93% in 1981 to 7.07% in 1991, it was much lower than that among the general population. Enrolment of the scheduled caste children in primary schools has gone up considerably. But the extent of absenteeism and drop out is very high. The provision of mid-day meals hardly attract the children to education, rather they take the meal and go away from schools. The drop out rate among them is over 70%. The reasons for such a situation is not far to seek. The children - both, boys and girls, are working hands. They help their parents who regard education as a luxury. There is also lack of awareness among the unemployed. An other important reason for high drop out is the neglect that is shown by the caste Hindu teachers who not only deride them but send them out on errands or ask them to engage in manual labour in the school.

The government is keen to promote literacy among the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, extremely backward castes and those below poverty line. Under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, special effort is made to educate girls belonging to these sections of the population. Under a Central scheme, scheduled caste students are offered financial help. But such fund provided to the state often remains unutilised or partially utilised. For example, during 1990-96, the Central government provided Rs. 280.7 crore for disbursement to the scheduled caste students. The state government was able to spend only 5.17 crore. Rs. 100 crore were either diverted to other schemes or posted in civil deposits. The scheduled caste students got only 5% of the sanctioned amount.

Political Awakening and Mobilization of Dalit

Social and political awakening of the scheduled castes started to take shape at the turn of the 20th century. The Dusadh among the scheduled caste seems to be the first to grasp the importance of a collective efforts to improve their lot. Being inspired by Kayastha Mahasabha (1887), Pradhan Bhumihar Brahman Sabha (1905), Rajput Sabha (1906) and possibly first backward caste Ravani Kahar Sabha (1906), the Dusadh formed the Dusadh Sabha in 1911. This was followed by the formation of the

Ravidas Sabha in 1928 by Shri Jagjivan Ram who was then studying in Calcutta. Shri Jagjivan Ram became an important Dalit leader in course of time. In 1933 the `Antiuntouchability Association’’ was renamed as Harijan Sevak Sangh and Shri Jagjivan Ram was appointed its Secretary by Dr. Rajendra Prasad. The same year the Harijan Sevak Sangh had its second conference at Bhagalpur. During the first annual meeting of Ravidas Mahasabha held in Calcutta in 1934, Jagjivan Ram established the `League of Depressed classes.’’ It was officially formed at Kanpur in 1935 with Rasiklal Biswas as President and Jagjivan Ram and P. N. Rajbhoi as Secretaries. Its Bihar branch was established in August 1935 and Jagjivan Ram became its President in 1936.

In Bihar when the Congress came to power in 1937, Jaglal Choudhury, a Pasi by caste, was made a Cabinet Minister and Jagjivan Ram was appointed Parliamentary Secretary. Jaglal Choudhury in 1938 pleaded for reservations of jobs in government service for the members of the Harijans. He did not however, advocate for permanent reservation. According to him, reservation should be inversely related with the degree of

advancement of various communities. He was quite aware that blanket reservation would create vested interest in the community. Though the Congress ministry remained in power for a brief period, it made serious attempts for the upliftment of the scheduled castes. The party appointed Jagjivan Ram a Secretary of Bihar Congress Committee in 1940, and in the Interim government formed in September, 1946, Jagjivan Ram was made labour minister. After independence, Jagjivan Ram remained minister in different departments. In 1977 he became the Deputy Prime Minister. He was returned as member of Lok Sabha from Sasaram Parliamentary Constituency from 1952 to 1984.

Two other Harijan leaders – Bhola Paswan Shastri and Ram Sundar Das were representatives of the scheduled castes. Bhola Paswan Shastri became Chief Minister of Bihar three times between March, 1968 and June, 1971. Shri Ram Sundar Das was Chief Minister of Bihar from April, 1979 to February, 1980.

During the political instability and dissolution of the Congress rule at the Centre, a new scheduled caste leadership under Ram Vilas Paswan emerged from Bihar. He won the Lok Sabha seat from Hajipur with record margin and became a minister in the first non-Congress government under the Prime Ministership of Morarji Desai. In the Vidhan Sabha elections in November, 2005, as many as 39 persons out of 243 were returned from reserved seats meant for scheduled caste candidates. Their caste-wise break up was Dusadh 17, Chamar-8, Dhobi - 2 , Pasi - 3, and Musahar – 7, Rajwar – 1, and Mehtar – 1. This includes 5 women also. The scheduled castes are now conscious of their political rights.

The scheduled caste have formed Dalit Sena and Ambedkar Sena to protest and retaliate against violence and injustice perpetrated on them. In some areas where Naxalite or other extremist parties have influence, there has been a general awakening about their rights among the marginal scheduled caste peasants and landless labourers. They have also resisted injustice and oppression of the landlords. The work done by the Chaatra Sangharsh Vahini and the Prayas in Gaya and Patna districts has led the scheduled castes men and women to assert and fight for their rights. The scheduled caste women have waged their struggle against the oppressive behaviour of the landlords and against the social system which is male dominated.

Efforts to Raise the Status of Dalit Women in Bihar

The government, after independence, has initiated policies and programmes for empowerment of women, specially deprived women. Empowerment of women is conceptualised in different ways by social scientists, social activists and administrators.

Empowerment generally refers to the processes by which women take control and ownership of their lives through expansion of their choices. It refers to the improvement of the status of women in the family, in the community and in the society at large. Their status can be raised with the help of education, employment and through political participation.

The policies initiated by the government for the women in general have also benefited the scheduled caste women. These policies address the socio-economic and psychological needs of women with a view to empowering them. They are viz, (a) the National Policy on Education, 1986 (revised in 1992), aims at promoting basic education for all, (b) National Population Policy, 2000, which emphasises the issues related to population stabilisation and on ensuring delayed marriage for girls and enhancing the number of institutional deliveries, (c) the National Agricultural Policy, 2000, which seeks to mainstream gender concerns in agriculture and aims to initiate appropriate structural, functional and institutional measures to empower women and build their capabilities and improve their access to inputs, technology and other farming measures, (d) the National Health Policy, 2001 which aims to ensure greater access of women to basic health care and to achieve an optimal state of nutrition for all sections of society, especially women, mothers and children.

A number of welfare measures have been taken up by the government through the partnership with the local voluntary organisations. These measures encouraged women organisations at various levels, specially at the grass root level to organize themselves. Mahila Mandals were promoted for delivery of essential services, education, health and other services. Integrated Child Development services scheme, launched in 1974, in the state aims to provide six basic services to poor women and children. Girl child is encouraged through its pre-school education, and other services to pursue primary education when she comes of age. Supplementary nutrition, health and nutrition education to poor women make them aware of social responsibility to the children, family and the society

as a whole. In 1980s special effort was made to promote rural employment and development of women through their own organisations at the grass root level. However, prior to the 9th five year plan, women were treated as target for development programmes but not much attention was given to creating an environment that would enable women to exercise their rights or enjoy their freedom. It put forth the concept of empowerment for enabling an environment for the exercise of their rights and experiencing freedom. Two important steps were taken by the government for empowering women. The plan adopted Women’s Component Plan which directed the Central and the state governments to earmark at 30% of the funds in all sectors for development of women. Second was the adoption of the National Policy for Empowerment of Women in 2001.

The year 2001 was also declared as the year of women’s empowerment. A number of policies and programmes were initiated during this year to ensure participation of  women in social, economic and political life. Taking together all the successive Five Year Plans, efforts have been made to empower women both economically and socially so that they and to become an equal partner in national development. Some of the schemes and programmes related to empowerment of women, especially the scheduled caste and the scheduled tribe women are (a) Mahila Samakhya, (b) Scheme of Assistance to Women’s Co-operatives, (c) Women’s vocational training programme, (d) Swayamsidha, (e) Swa-Shakti project, (f) Employment and income generation training cum production centres for women (NORAD) programme, (g) Rural women’s Development and Empowerment project, (h) Awareness Generation project for rural and poor women, (i) Indira Mahila Yojana, (j) Rashtriya Mahila Kosh, and (k) Women’s Component plan. Recently some of the programmes for empowering scheduled caste and other poor women have been studied. A brief idea of the working of these programmes would be useful. Since 1999, Swarna Jayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana is the only scheme for self-employment of the poor women. Its main focus is Self Help Group (SHG). SHG is formed voluntarily of homogenous poor women to save small amount of their earning as convenient to and agreed by all the members. The saving is development as common or corpus fund of the group of be lent to its members of meeting their productive and emergent credit needs. SHGs are given assistance in capacity building selection of key activities, infrastructure built up, planning, technology and marketing support. Self Help Groups not only become bankable but also reveal an inner strength to fight against socio-economic injustices. Till the year 2003-04, there are 10816 Self Help Groups in Bihar. Most of the SHGs have been linked with banks. On account of SHGs, there is an increase in enrolment of girl children in primary schools with decrease in the rate of drop outs. They have been benefited under Indira Awas Yojana, Annyapurna and Antodaya scheme. Now the scheduled caste women talk to government officials and take collective decisions. Formation of SHGs has not only been able to deal with economic insecurity but also to improve their quality of life. Scheduled caste women have developed the habit of micro saving and are encouraged to start small enterprises of their own. Some scheduled caste women send their daughters to school. It has motivated many scheduled caste women to participate in Panchayati Raj Institution. Many of them have contested and won the elective posts in the Panchayati Raj Institution. They have now more command over their own life and are shedding helplessness.

The voluntary or non-government organisations have also been doing commendable work towards uplift and empowerment of the scheduled caste women to safeguard their constitutional rights. Some NGOs have played vital role in providing training and rehabilitation of women scavengers. In Bihar a significant and lasting contribution has been made by Sulabh International founded by Padmabhusan Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak. This NGO has been able to improve the lot of the Bhangis engaged in removing human excreta on their heads from service latrines. It has also started training programme for the members of the Bhangi community so that they can acquire new skills and go for new occupations. Samanvaya Ashram set up by Vinoba Bhave in Bodh Gaya and Prayas under the inspiring leadership of Sister Sudha Verghese, have been working tirelessly for improving the condition of the Musahar and other scheduled caste women.

Women in any society derive their status and rights from the community to which they belong. Empowerment of the scheduled caste women as such can not be conceived without the empowerment of the scheduled castes as a whole. It is well known that the scheduled castes have suffered from exploitation, suppression and oppression for centuries. This has resulted in the creation of a mindset characterised by inferiority complex and very low self esteem. However, considerable progress is made for empowerment of the scheduled castes as a whole. Empowerment of the scheduled caste women has also taken place but at a slow pace. They have still to go a long way to be empowered to become equal to other women folk in the society.

Panchayati Raj and Dalit

The institution of Panchayat was in vogue in India from time immemorial. It was vested with administrative, legislative and judicial functions. There were changes in its structure and function from time to time. But it was an effective instrument of self rule till the middle of the 19th century. With the colonial administration taking over the control over village economy and society, the Panchayats ceased to be functional. Mahatma Gandhi’s concern for Gram Swaraj pinpointed that it can not be achieved without local self governance in the villages, inspired the Constitution makers to incorporate Article 40 which directs the state government to constitute Gram Panchayat in the village.

After independence of India, under the guidance of Pandit Vinodananda Jha, then Minister for Local Self Governant , the Bihar Panchayat Raj Act , 1947 was framed and promulgated in the whole state in 1948. The Act made the provisions for Mukhiya, Sarpanch and Dalpati to introduce self rule in the villages. These posts were used to be filled up by consensus in the villagers in the presence of Gram Panchayat Supervisor or any other official posted by the government. Under the Bihar Panchayat Raj Act of

1947, Gram Panchayat elections were held regularly till 1978. No elections were held till 2001 although the new legislation was enacted in 1993.

As the functioning of Gram Panchayats in Bihar and in other states fell short of the expectation, the Government of India appointed a Committee under the chairmanship of Balwant Rai Mehta in 1957. The committee in its report submitted in 1958 pin pointed certain shortcomings and suggested remedial measures. According to the democratic decentralization and three tier system suggested Panchayati Raj was introduced in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh. It was started in two districts in Bihar viz. Bhagalpur and Ranchi in 1964. In 1978, Ashok Mehta Committee reviewed the working of the Panchayat and suggested steps for making it more effective. But these measures were not taken. Later in 1986, Rajiv Gandhi, the then Prime Minister appointed a Committee headed by the eminent lawyer Shri K. M. Singhvi which suggested some radical measures to streamline the functioning of the Panchayati Raj to reach power to the people. This ultimately led to the 73rd Amendment of the Constitution in 1993 which ordained the state governments to institute thre tier Panchayati Raj in the rural areas. Some of the important features of the Amendment are as follows:

1. In every Gram Panchayat there should be a Gram Sabha in each revenue village comprising all the voters of the area,

2. Tenure of all the members in different tiers shall be for a period of five years,

3. At least one-third of seats in all the tiers shall be reserved for women.

4. Reservation of seats in all tiers shall be done for the scheduled castes,scheduled tribes in proportion to their population to the total population in the area. Reservation of seats for backward classes would be decided by the state governments.

5. A Finance Commission shall be constituted for a period of every five years for suggesting and strengthening financial position of the organs of the Panchayat Institution.

6. Fresh election shall be conducted before the expiry of the term of the existing bodies.

7. States shall adopt these provisions within one year of the promulgation of 73rd Constitution Amendment Act.

As a follow up of the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, the Government of Bihar repealed all the existing legislation in respect of Panchayati Raj and enacted the Bihar Panchayat Raj Act, 1993. Some of the important features of the 1993 Act are as follows:

1. Gram Sabha consisting of persons registered in the electoral roll is an important wing of Gram Panchayat. It shall render assistance in the implementation of all programmes and in maintaining peace and tranquility in the village. It shall constitute a Vigilance committee to oversee panchayat work. This committee shall comprise persons who are not members of the Gram Panchayat.

2. Gram Panchayat shall comprise an area of a village or a group of villages or part thereof with a population of about seven thousand.

3. Gram Panchayat shall have to perform all the functions necessary for unity, integrity and socio-economic development of the area. These functions are grouped in thirty categories. In addition, the government may entrust any other work to them from time to time.

 

In accordance with the provisions of Bihar Panchayat Raj Act of 1993, elections were held in the state in 2001 for the formation of 8471 Gram Panchayats. Before the Panchayat elections of 2006 which was held in the months of May and June, the state government promulgated an ordinance which is known as Bihar Panchayat Raj Ordinance, 2006. Some of the important features of the ordinance are given below:

1. 50% of the total seats of members in a Gram Panchayat shall be reserved for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes.

2. The number of seats so reserved for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes shall have as nearly as possible the same proportion to the total seats in the Gram

Panchayat as the proportion of their respective population to the total population of the area.

3. The number of seats to be reserved for backward classes shall be as nearly as possible but not exceeding 20% of the total seats and within the overall limit of 50% reservation for all three categories of the population.

4. 50% of the seats so reserved for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes shall be

reserved for women belonging to these categories.

5. 50% of the total unreserved seats shall be reserved for women.

6. All reserved and unreserved seats shall be allotted on rotation by the District Magistrate under the direction, control and supervision of the State Election Commission.

7. The principle of reservation and the proportion of reservation shall be applicable for Panchayat Samiti, Zila Parishad and also for the post of Mukhiya, Pramukh and Adhyaksha.

8. The judicial function of the Gram Panchayat was restored by the creation the post of Sarpanch in each Gram Panchayat.

9. Following the ordinance, 2006, Panchayat elections were held in May and June, 2006 for 8471 Gram Panchayats.

Source: Taken from the report of ‘empowerment of elected sc members through pri’ss in Bihar’ prepared by Sulabh Institute of Development Studies

source: planningcommission.gov.in/reports/sereport/ser/stdy_empSC.pdf