Lohar Community Declines Participation in Bihar’s Caste Survey

The community is advocating for an independent code in Bihar's EBC category rather than being categorized as a sub-caste under the Kamar caste, a move they strongly oppose.

Patna: With the Bihar government trying to complete its caste survey as fast as possible, a section of Lohar community in Masaudhi town on the outskirts of Patna boycotted the exercise on Friday.

The community people are demanding independent code in ’Bihars EBC category, instead of being put as a sub-caste in the Kamar caste, which they are objecting to.

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Following the boycott, SDM Prity Kumari reached the area and tried to convince the people of Lohar community to take part in the survey and help the Bihar government to complete the same in minimum possible time.

“We are objecting to it from the first phase of the caste based survey. We have a demand to give independent code to our caste. They have put Lohar into the Kamar caste which means the Bihar government is not interested in counting the actual number of Lohar in the state,” said Saroj Devi, a member of Bihar state Lohar Sangh.

Earlier, the villagers belonging to Dhanarua in Patna district boycotted the survey on the same ground and even tried to stop the train at Sachivalay Halt in Patna a couple of days ago as well. The protesters have claimed that there is no such caste like Kamar.

“The logic behind putting the Lohar community into Kamar is not understandable,” she said.

Officials stayed at Masaudhi for hours to convince the Lohar community but they refused to take part in the survey.