Bihar Assembly discusses caste nomenclature issue; govt says no proposal under consideration
Patna, July 24
The issue of caste nomenclature in government records surfaced once again during the Monsoon Session of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, with BJP MLA Jivesh Mishra urging the state government to replace the term "Bhumihar" with "Bhumihar Brahmin" in caste certificates and official records.
The demand sparked a discussion in the House, with the government maintaining that no proposal to amend the existing nomenclature is currently under consideration.
Raising the matter through a Calling Attention Motion, Jivesh Mishra argued that several historical government records-including land revenue documents, district gazetteers, and other official archives-refer to the community as "Bhumihar Brahmin", whereas present-day caste certificates issued by the Bihar government mention only "Bhumihar."
According to the BJP legislator, the inconsistency has created confusion for members of the community while obtaining official documents.
He said that several individuals and social organisations have submitted representations to the government seeking uniformity in the nomenclature, but no final decision has been taken.
Mishra also pointed out that the term "Bhumihar Brahmin" was used in the 1931 Census and in several historical land records.
Referring to an earlier communication issued by the General Administration Department, he claimed that the department had recommended the use of the term "Bhumihar Brahmin", and urged the government to adopt the same nomenclature in caste certificates and official caste lists to ensure consistency across government records.
Replying on behalf of the government, Deputy Chief Minister Vijendra Prasad Yadav said that the General Administration Department has already issued guidelines governing the issuance of caste certificates for upper castes, minorities, and other communities.
He informed the House that, under the current framework, four communities are listed in the upper caste category, including Bhumihar, Brahmin, Rajput, and Kayastha.
The Deputy Chief Minister stated that, at present, there is no proposal before the government to change the existing nomenclature used in caste certificates.
The government's response failed to satisfy several legislators belonging to the Bhumihar community, including Jivesh Mishra, who argued that the reply did not address the central issue they had raised.
Mishra maintained that his concern was not about creating a political controversy but about ensuring uniformity between historical government records and present-day caste certificates.
He said the discrepancy in terminology causes unnecessary inconvenience for citizens while obtaining official documents.
He also remarked that although the Deputy Chief Minister is an experienced legislator, the government's reply did not explain how it intended to resolve the inconsistency between older official records and the nomenclature currently used in caste certificates.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I understand the demand for uniformity in government records, but why are we still obsessed with caste in 2024? The real issue is whether we should even have caste certificates in the first place. As a nation, we need to move beyond these divisions. 🙏
If historical records from 1931 Census use "Bhumihar Brahmin", then the government should maintain consistency. It's not about caste politics but about administrative accuracy. People shouldn't face hassles when getting their documents. The Deputy CM's reply sounds like typical bureaucratic evasion.
Honestly, this feels like a non-issue blown out of proportion. Whether it's "Bhumihar" or "Bhumihar Brahmin", what difference does it make to anyone's life? Our politicians should focus on more pressing matters like healthcare and poverty. But I guess caste is an easy vote bank topic. 🙄
Good that the government has rejected this proposal. We should be working towards a caste-less society, not creating more sub-categories. If we start changing every caste name to match some historical record, where will it end? Next someone will want to be called "Rajput Kshatriya" instead of just Rajput. Useless debate.
There is a legitimate argument here. If government records have been inconsistent for decades, it's the duty of the administration to fix it. But this should be done for ALL castes, not just one. Let's have a comprehensive review of all caste nomenclature in official documents, but preferably without making it a political tool.
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