Prashant Kishor demands white paper on caste survey in Bihar, threatens state-wide agitation
PATNA: Political strategist-turned activist Prashant Kishor on Monday slammed Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar over caste census, land survey and allotment of three decimals of land each to Dalit and Mahadalit families for building their houses.
Kishor told the media that the people of Bihar were befooled in the name of caste-based survey as state government failed to provide Rs 2 lakh each as financial assistance to nearly 94 lakh families whose monthly income was shown below Rs 5,000 in the survey report.
'Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had announced soon after the caste-based survey report submitted to the government that Rs 2 lakh each would be given to 94 lakh families whose income was below Rs 5,000 per month. But what happened to the CM's promise?' he asked.
Similarly, Nitish had promised to allot three decimals of land each to 39 lakh Dalit and Mahadalit families who didn't have their own land for building their houses. As per government reports, only 1.20 lakh families have been covered under the scheme so far, he added.
In 2006, Dalit Vikas Mission was set up for uplift of Dalits and Mahadalits. Out of them, only 2.34 lakh people were allotted three decimals of land. A team of Deshpal Committee set up by the central government visited Patna. The committee in its report revealed that 1.20 lakh people were allotted land only on papers.
'These 1.20 lakh families didn't have their ownership of land provided by the state government. Jan Suraaj Party now wants to know when the remaining 48 lakh people would be given three decimals of land for building their houses on their own land,' he asked.
Jan Suraaj Party founder said that land survey started in 2013 in Bihar but has not been completed as yet. On the other hands, Southern states like Telangana and Andhra Pradesh completed land survey work within the time-frame, he said.
Kishor said that the Bihar government started digitisation of land records in the name of land survey. But the officials at the circle offices and deputy development commissioners were involved in neck-deep corruption and stalling the works related to land survey, he added.
'Only 20 per cent of the state's population have submitted their records of land for digitisation and subsequent land survey. The remaining 80 per cent people could not submit documents of land due to corruption at offices of circle officers and DCLRs," he remarked.
The land survey is not being conducted within a stipulated period despite the government's own report that 60 per cent of the crime committed in the state were related to land disputes and property related incidents.
He also sought to know from the government about Bhoodan land and land seized under Land Ceiling Act. 'Where is the land? Who are the beneficiaries? The government should provide information to the people,' Kishor asserted.
Kishor said that Jan Suraaj Party would raise the issue before the last session of the state assembly. On May 11, Jan Suraaj Party would hold meetings in around 40,000 revenue villages in the state and obtain signatures people across the state.
Following the meetings, a memorandum with over 1 crore signatures of the people would be submitted to chief minister and governor. In addition, the party would gherao the assembly during the last session to pressure for its demand, Kishor pointed out.
He demanded a white paper on caste census within a month failing which Jan Suraaj Party would launch an agitation.
In response to a media query, Jan Suraaj Party founder said that the land survey was announced by the government to create tension in respective families.
'The relationships got strained in each family due to the ongoing land survey,' he remarked.
He said that had the intentions of the government fair and justified, the land survey work would have been completed within a timeframe. Moreover, it has turned out to be a boon for COs and DCLRs who are minting money in the name of providing land records, he stated.
When asked about Jan Suraaj Party's protest over Waqf Amendment Bill, Kishor said that it was an eyewash. 'Those at the helm of affairs know the outcome of the Amendment Bill. Their motive is to create a division between Hindus and Muslims to derive political mileage, he asserted.
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