Chief Minister Nitish Kumar paying floral tribute to Sant Ravidas on his birth anniversary in Patna on Wednesday, February 12, 2025.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The celebration was considered an attempt to attract the Dalit voters which constitute around 19.65% in Bihar. Such celebrations have regularly been organised by political outfits but it was the first time that the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Welfare Department had organised it at Bapu Sabhagar in which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was the main speaker.
Being a State event, the event was referred to as a capacity building programme for Vikas Mitras.
The Vikas Mitras are recruited under the Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission Scheme by the SC/ST Welfare Department of the Government of Bihar. The recruitment is done at the Panchayat level for men and women of SC/ST category to help the people coming from their community to execute the development work in the gram panchayat area of their society.
Mr. Kumar paid his tribute by offering flowers to the picture of Ravidas Sant Shiromani Ravidas and Bharat Ratna Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar.
“I congratulate and wish all of you for organising this programme. You all have come here in large numbers; I congratulate and welcome all of you. I pay my tribute to Sant Shiromani Ravidas ji on his birth anniversary. Sant Ravidas ji raised his voice against casteism, discrimination and untouchability and gave the message of equality and brotherhood to the society. His contribution cannot be forgotten. On this occasion, I also salute Ambedkar ji, the maker of the Constitution,” Mr. Kumar said.
Listing out the achievements of his government, Mr. Kumar asserted that he has been working for the upliftment of all sections of the society, be it Hindus, Muslims, general class, backward, extremely backward, Dalit, and Mahadalit.
“Bihar Mahadalit Vikas Mission was established in the year 2009 to extend the benefits of government schemes to the Mahadalit class, due to which the people of the Mahadalit class are getting a lot of benefits. From 2023, the honorarium of Vikas Mitras has been increased from ₹13,700 to ₹25,000 and it is being increased by 5% every year,” Mr. Kumar said.
Targeting the dalit vote bank, Mr. Kumar pointed out that many schemes are being run for the upliftment of SC/ST classes. He added that in 2018, Udyami Yojana was started for the employment of youth and girls of SC/ST category.
Under this scheme, assistance of ₹10 lakh is being given for setting up industry, in which ₹5 lakh is being provided as grant and ₹5 lakh as interest-free loan.
He also stressed that residential schools and hostels have been built for the SC/ST classes.
“Whatever other requirements will be there for the upliftment of the people of SC/ST category will be fulfilled. Everyone knows what was the situation before we came to power,” Mr. Kumar said.
Both Deputy Chief Ministers, and BJP leaders, Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha were present apart from Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, Rural Works Minister Ashok Choudhary and SC/ST Welfare Minister Janak Ram.
Last week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had visited Patna to take part in the 130th birth anniversary of former Minister and Dalit leader Jaglal Choudhary who played an important role in the Independence movement.
Published – February 12, 2025 10:21 pm IST
