Dalit groups hold march in Patna demanding 65 pc caste-based quota

Patna: Dalit organisations held a march here on Tuesday demanding the caste-based reservation ceiling be raised to 65 per cent in Bihar and a quota in private sector jobs, among others. The protest was primarily organised by 'Arakhshan Bachao Samvidhan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti,' later joined by members of other Dalit groups.

The march, which began from Patna's Gandhi Maidan, was headed towards the Lok Bhawan, when it was stopped by police midway at J P Golambar. Protestors tried to jump over the barricades and raised slogans demanding raising the reservation ceiling. "We detained eight of the protesters and later released them," Gandhi Maidan SHO Akhilesh Kumar said.

Protesters demand 65% reservation ceiling in Bihar

The protestors demanded the reservation ceiling be raised to 65 per cent for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs), quota in private sector jobs , among other things. One of the protestors, Murari Lal, said, "We demand that the upper ceiling of reservation for SCs, STs and other backward classes should be increased to 65 per cent.

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We are simply demanding representation based on our proportion in the overall population." Notably, the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government in 2023 passed amendments to existing reservation laws, raising quotas for SCs, STs, backward classes, and extremely backward classes from 50 per cent to 65 per cent, alongside a separate EWS quota for upper caste poor individuals.

Patna HC scraps 65% reservation quota amendment

The amendments were, however, scrapped by the Patna High Court in June 2024, citing violation of the 50 per cent ceiling set by the Supreme Court. The apex court refused an interim stay on the high court order the following month. Ravi Kumar, another protestor, said, "Those seeking review of reservation should first talk about eliminating caste.

We also don't want reservation, but for that to happen, our social exploitation and caste-based discrimination must come to an end first." Another protestor who was being taken away in a police van said that they were demanding reservations in judiciary and the private sector for Dalit communities.