New Delhi: Following the announcement of the Bihar assembly elections by the Central Election Commission, the National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR) released its latest report on October 8, titled ‘Bihar – What Dalit Want’, in a press conference held at the Press Club of India in Delhi and found that Dalits in Bihar have not benefited from the state’s development.

The survey report, which focuses on the condition of Bihar's Dalit communities, their struggles and expectations highlighted the gap between the government's development claims and the reality of Dalits in the state who continue to face poverty, unemployment, poor education and lack of land or proper housing.

It was based on direct interactions, or interviews, with a total number of 18,581 Dalit families across nearly 25 districts of Bihar, including major districts like Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, West Champaran, Motihari and Darbhanga.

According to the organisers, the survey was also conducted by people from the Dalit community.

Ashok Bharti, head of the National Confederation of Dalit and Adivasi Organisations (NACDAOR), said, "We prepared this report because the voices of Dalits are suppressed in every election in Bihar. The real concerns and aspirations of Dalits remain absent from most political agendas.

“By directly speaking to 18,581 Dalit families in 25 districts of Bihar between July and August 2025, we learned that those who were deprived of their land, homes and identity in the name of development are the ones who are the most disadvantaged today. This report is a mirror for a prominent political party in Bihar. But if every fifth Bihari is a Dalit, why are their problems not the focus of electoral debate?" 

Accusing Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar of falsely depicting progress, he said, "Nitish Kumar has been called the 'development man' in Bihar for the past two decades, but the data in our report tells a totally different story of the Dalits.”

“Under Nitish Kumar's tenure as chief minister, 62% of Dalits in Bihar remain illiterate, and 63% of Dalits unemployed, with an average monthly income of only Rs 6,480.

“In 2013-14, the budget share for Dalits in Bihar was 2.59%, which has now declined to 1.29%. The NDA government built roads and bridges in the state, but for this development, they demolished the homes of thousands of Dalits in several districts. The question is, when every fifth Bihari is a Dalit, then where is their place for them  in Nitish Kumar's good governance?" he asked.

The NACDAOR report presented several concerning findings about the education, employment, health, rehabilitation and budget allocation related to Dalits in Bihar. The key areas of the report include the population and demographic structure of Dalits in Bihar, education and literacy, livelihood and employment, health and nutrition, economic and land equality, and atrocities and violence faced by the community.

The NACDAOR has outlined 250 demands under 20 key categories in this report, suggesting that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-led Union government draws from these recommendations to design or revise the existing schemes aimed at benefiting Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC).

Keeping the upcoming Bihar assembly elections in mind, NACDAOR has urged all political parties to include the following 20 points in their election manifestoes.

These include the formation of a high-powered committee under the chief minister, elimination of discrimination in government services, special focus on education for SC and ST women, and a guarantee of development for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in Bihar.

Umesh Kumar Manjhi, who is associated with the Rashtriya Mushahar Parishad, a social organisation, said, "In the name of development, roads and buildings are being constructed in Bihar, but at the same time, thousands of Dalit homes have been demolished by Nitish Kumar's government without any rehabilitation. My own house was demolished last December, and no alternative arrangement was provided.”

“Today, we are forced to live in roadside huts, just like we did in the 1970s. Our childhood, our culture, and our social fabric have all been taken away. Only those who are displaced can truly understand this pain. Is this what development means?" he asked.

“Nitish Kumar has been chief minister for 20 years, yet the condition of Dalits has declined instead of improving. During Lalu Prasad Yadav's regime, at least we were given homes and the strength to raise our voices,” he added. 

Before the Bihar assembly elections, the Election Commission announced Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the state. When The Wire asked about how it affected Dalit and tribal communities of the SIR, the organisers said that work on the issue was still ongoing.

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