Rahul Gandhi Seizes on Bihar Caste Survey Report, Renews Push for Proportional Representation

Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Congress, acted quickly to seize the chance presented by the Bihar caste survey report, which stated that SCs, STs, OBCs, and Extremely Backward Classes collectively account for 84% of the state's population. Gandhi is advancing his plan to win back socially disadvantaged groups of society for his party.

In a post on X, Rahul declared: "Jitni abaadi, utna haq: Yeh hamara pran hai (Share in proportion to population. This is our commitment. Only three of the 90 secretaries in the Indian government, according to the numbers he has frequently cited, belong to the OBC.

Rahul's article was expanded upon by the Congress, which issued a statement claiming that the findings of the Bihar poll would assist the state's administration in addressing socioeconomic inequalities. The Congress said that the UPA had carried out a caste census but the Narendra Modi administration is withholding the results, and that its government in Karnataka had also carried out a caste-based census.

"We will conduct a Caste Census if the Modi government does not,"

once the Congress government is established in 2024. We will ensure that every part of society receives its due share!" On X, the Congress published. Even though Siddaramaiah was back in the saddle, many on social media channels reminded the gathering that the results of the Karnataka exercise from 2015 had not yet been made public.

Danish Ali, a member of the BSP, echoed Rahul's appeal for every community to have proportional access to opportunity. Ali urged the Yogi Adityanath administration to conduct a caste survey in Uttar Pradesh, saying, "Jiski jitnai sankhya bhaari, utni uski ho hissedaari (Representation according to population)".

"The caste survey data in Bihar provides insight into the social structure. With a clear grasp of deprivations, the government may make precise policy decisions with the use of this data. According to CPI's D. Raja, similar exercises are required in other states as well for the creation of fact-based policies.

When this newspaper questioned him about the demand for proportional representation, he responded that this needed to be discussed first. Additionally, he added, there is a pressing need to campaign for quotas in the private sector as job possibilities in the public sector are decreasing as a result of privatization and to abolish the 50% cap on reservations imposed by the Supreme Court in the Indra Sawhney case.

Given how divisive caste politics can be, it appears that other Opposition parties have chosen to be cautious in their reactions to the Bihar survey report, which could serve as the backdrop for the country's protracted election season, which will begin with the winter round of Assembly elections and end with the general elections in the spring.