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Rahul Gandhi's big reservation promise ahead of Bihar assembly polls, EBCs in focus: 10 points
Promise of caste quotas and representation are key part of RJD-Congress strategy; Rahul Gandhi has been vocal on the issue since before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls
The Congress on Wednesday announced a 10-point programme focused on education and employment reservation for the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) ahead of the Bihar assembly elections due by November.
It promised immediate implementation if it forms the government as part of the RJD-led Bihar alliance under the INDIA bloc umbrella.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, shared the details in Patna, where the Congress Working Committee (CWC) is also meeting. The launch of the promise document for the ‘ati picchda’ or EBCs was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani too.
According to the 2023 Bihar Caste Survey, EBCs constitute 36% of the state's population, making them the largest single social group in Bihar.
“During the 15-day Voter Adhikar Yatra, we went to different districts of Bihar and told the youth that the Constitution is being attacked. Not just in Bihar, but in the entire nation, citizens' rights are being snatched away,” Rahul Gandhi said at the event.
He added, "In Parliament, I said two things in front of PM Modi. First, there will be a caste based census in the entire nation; second, we will bring down the 50% reservation wall."
While a caste census has since been announced by the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, the 50% cap on reservation is mandated by courts.
What Congress has promised to EBCs
As the first of ten points, the Congress promised an 'Extremely Backward Classes Atrocities Prevention Act', specifically for the EBCs, apparently along the lines of similar laws already in place nationwide for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes (SC/ST).
Also, it promised reservation in all private educational institutions of the state under Article 15(5). This constitutional provision allows governments to make special provisions for advancement of socially and educationally backward classes of citizens, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes concerning their admission to educational institutions.
Reservation for EBCs will be increased to 30% in panchayats and urban local bodies from the current 20%, it added.
It promised to surpass the 50% reservation limit, and move towards quotas as per proportion of population. A law will be passed for this by the state legislature, and be sent to the central government for inclusion in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. This schedule of the Constitution contains a list of central and state laws that are essentially immune from judicial review.
The Congress said the concept of ‘Not Found Suitable’ (NFS) in the selection process for appointments will be declared illegal. There have been allegations by SCs and other backward groups that posts kept for them are not filled by saying none of the candidates was suitable.
Further, all matters related to under- or over-inclusion on the list of Extremely Backward Classes will be resolved by forming a committee, the Congress promise letter said.
It also promised to landless individuals from the EBC, SC, ST, and BC categories three decimals of residential land in urban areas or five decimals in rural areas, as applicable.
Under the Right to Education Act 2010 passed by the then Congress-led UPA government, of the seats already in private schools, half will be kept for EBC, SC, ST, and other backward classes, the party resolution said.
In government contracts worth up to ₹25 crore, a provision of 50% reservation will be made for these communities, it added.
To govern the implementation, a high-powered Reservation Regulatory Authority will be established, it added, and that any changes to the reservation list of castes will only be possible with the permission of the legislature.
In a state deeply influenced by caste among other identity markers, the Congress pitch is in line with Rahul Gandhi's focus on the politics of “social justice” since before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Its senior partner in the state, the RJD founded by Lalu Prasad Yadav and currently led by Tejashwi Yadav, is one of the prominent parties to have emerged out of similar politics for the backward classes over the past four decades.
After the EBCs at 36%, the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) are 27% of Bihar's population, followed by SCs at just under 20%, General category at around 15%, and STs at less than 2%.
The RJD-Congress alliance is hoping to unseat the Nitish Kumar-led JDU-BJP combine and return to power decidedly. Nitish Kumar had at two points in the past 10 years joined the RJD-Congress alliance, but left soon after to go back with the BJP.
