Mahadalit is a term which was coined in 2007 by the government of Bihar for the poorest social groups within the Dalits.[1]: 38  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 the year 2007 to recommended 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]: 38 

Demographics and occupation

The Dalits form over 15% of the population of Bihar,[1]: 38  and the Mahadalits form around 10% of the state's population.[4]: 971  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. 1 2 3 Kunnath, George (2013). "Compliance or Defiance? The Case of Dalits and Mahadalits" (PDF). University of Oxford. p. 36–59. S2CID 35045790.
  2. ↑ "Explained: Who are Mahadalits?". The Indian Express. New Delhi, India. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  3. ↑ "List of Mahadalits - Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission". Mahadalitmission.org. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  4. ↑ Kumar, Jayant; Bakhala, Kala (2015). "Decoding the Political Narratives of Bihar in Terms of Caste Identity as Seen the Election of 2015". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. India: Indian History Congress. 76: 969–975. JSTOR 44156668.
  5. ↑ Kumar, Mithilesh (2016) [First published 2015]. "Governing Flood, Migration, and Conflict in North Bihar". In Samaddar, Ranabir (ed.). Government of Peace: Social Governance, Security and the Problematic of Peace (reprint ed.). New York; Oxford: Routledge. p. 204. ISBN 978-1317125389. Most Yadavs are peasants (with holdings ranging from 2–4 bighas) and the Mahadalits are landless labourers or sharecroppers on their fields.
  6. ↑ "Politics hots up to woo Mahadalits - Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 11 January 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "All Dalits now Mahadalits, question is who's their leader". The Indian Express. 16 February 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2016.


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