Mahadalit is a term which was coined in 2007 by the government of Bihar for the poorest social groups within the Dalits[1]Template:Rp another called Aazad people who are original inhabitants of South Asian sub-continent. However, the term "Mahadalit" is not a part of the Indian constitutional terminology.[2]
Composition
The Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar set up the State Mahadalit Commission in 2007 to recommend inclusion of extremely weaker castes amongst the Scheduled Castes in the Mahadalit category.[3] The commission has recognized Bihar's 21 Scheduled Castes out of the state's total 22 Scheduled Castes as the Mahadalits.[1]Template:Rp
Demographics and occupation
The Dalits form over 15% of the population of Bihar,[1]Template:Rp and the Mahadalits form around 10% of the state's population.[4]Template:Rp According to Mithilesh Kumar, the Mahadalits do not own land and work as sharecroppers on the farms of the Yadavs.[5]
Politics
During the election year of 2010, Nitish Kumar launched a slew of government schemes to woo mahadalit voters. Nitish said, "My aim is to see the social, economic and political growth of certain castes who need a special campaign for their overall development."[6] The Mahadalit status entails benefits of over a dozen government welfare schemes including free land to the landless.[7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Compliance or Defiance? The Case of Dalits and Mahadalits, Kunnath, George. University of Oxford. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- ↑ Explained: Who are Mahadalits?. The Indian Express(20 October 2020).
- ↑ List of Mahadalits - Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission. Mahadalitmission.org.
- ↑ Decoding the Political Narratives of Bihar in Terms of Caste Identity as Seen the Election of 2015. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress({Template:Year).
- ↑ Government of Peace: Social Governance, Security and the Problematic of Peace{{#if:Kumar|, Kumar}. Routledge(2016). ISBN 978-1317125389
- ↑ Politics hots up to woo Mahadalits - Times of India. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com(2010-01-11).
- ↑ All Dalits now Mahadalits, question is who’s their leader. The Indian Express(2015-02-16).