Breaking: ‘Bura Baal Saaf Karo’ slogan reignites caste fault lines in Bihar ahead of phase two voting

“Bura Baal Saaf Karo”  four words that still stir deep caste sentiments in Bihar even three decades later. The slogan, believed to have emerged during Lalu Yadav’s political rise in the 1990s, symbolized a turning point in Bihar’s politics, when upper castes lost dominance and backward classes came to the forefront. The phrase, derived from “Bhu” (Bhumihar), “Ra” (Rajput), “Ba” (Brahmin), and “La” (Lala/Kayastha), once fueled intense caste rivalries and a bloody era between 1991 and 2005 that saw over 70 caste massacres and the rise of private armies like the Ranveer Sena. As the focus now shifts to the second phase of Bihar elections on November 11, covering 122 seats across 20 districts, the echoes of this slogan are resurfacing. Analysts say its emotional and divisive legacy could influence voter behavior, particularly in 12 caste-sensitive districts. Despite RJD’s efforts to repair old caste equations by giving tickets to upper-caste candidates, Bihar’s history shows that caste politics often fights caste with caste. A cycle that continues to shape its elections today.

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