Deflating RaGa’s Key Weapon Before Bihar Polls Or U-Turn? Decoding BJP’s Nod For Caste Census

Advertisement

Last Updated:May 01, 2025, 12:38 IST

Gandhi is near without a limb six months up of Bihar predetermination and this whitethorn not conscionable impact the electoral luck of the Congress but besides harm its apt state RJD

Beyond what the aboriginal whitethorn hold, the contiguous intelligibly puts BJP successful a politically advantageous position. (PTI)

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s gathering with the 3 work chiefs and the CDS connected Tuesday, followed by the Cabinet Committee connected Security connected Wednesday morning, expectations from the Cabinet Committee for Political Affairs were a ratification successful that direction. But what came adjacent was a astonishment for not lone India’s governmental absorption but besides astir Indians—the Centre agreeing to the caste census.

The untimely announcement caught astir absorption parties that person roots successful expected ‘samajwad’ unawares. Even the Congress, which has been espousing the origin for a agelong time, was near scrambling for a response.

TIMING SUPREME

The timing of the announcement seems to beryllium deliberate. Bihar elections are scheduled betwixt October and November this year. Bihar was the archetypal authorities successful India, albeit successful a non-NDA government, that went for a caste survey. Considered the astir caste-sensitive authorities wherever SCs represent 19.65 per cent of the population, STs marque up 1.68 per cent, and OBCs relationship for 27.12 per cent, Bihar is acceptable to spot elections successful conscionable six months wherever BJP volition beryllium seen arsenic the 1 who implemented a long-standing demand.

Moreover, it besides sends retired a connection to the radical astatine ample that portion India is focused connected avenging the Pahalgam massacre, dissimilar Pakistan, life—and politics—have not travel to a standstill. In fact, India is entrenched successful guardant planning.

DEFLATING RG’s KEY WEAPON?

What the announcement besides did was deflate a large limb of Rahul Gandhi earlier the cardinal Bihar Battle. Gandhi, who has been championing the contented of caste census and coined the operation ‘Jitna Aabadi, Utna Haq’ (rights according to population), is present near without a limb six months up of Bihar election. This whitethorn not conscionable impact the electoral luck of the Congress—unless it creates different arsenic potent issue—it whitethorn besides harm its apt state RJD.

In a property conference, Gandhi took recognition for the government’s decision. “We had said successful the Parliament that we volition marque Caste census happen. We had besides said that we would scrap the 50 per cent cap, the artificial wall, that is successful place. Don’t cognize what happened but abruptly aft 11 years, Caste census has been announced." He aboriginal tweeted that his “pressure worked".

Though BJP was speedy to antagonistic this with the party’s Amit Malviya saying: “Rahul Gandhi indispensable halt taking recognition for the government’s determination connected the caste census. Union Home Minister Amit Shah had already indicated connected September 18, 2024, that the announcement was forthcoming." Malviya was referring to Shah’s comments successful a property league marking 100 days of the 3rd word of the NDA authorities wherever Shah said immoderate determination connected conducting a caste census volition beryllium “made public".

WHAT NEXT?

While BJP has amazed its opponents and seized the day, galore look to question what adjacent and however acold the BJP tin spell successful future?

This is pertinent due to the fact that Rahul Gandhi made it wide successful Wednesday’s property league that helium does not mean to halt here. He has listed his adjacent people of actions that see removal of the 50 per cent headdress connected reservations that helium called “arbitrary", instrumentality a cardinal instrumentality for SC/ST sub-plan and warrant fund allocations. If that’s not all, Gandhi has besides declared his ngo of implementing preservation successful backstage education.

“This is the volition of the radical of India and the Modi authorities has nary enactment but to travel it," helium said.

BJP’s Malviya has reminded Gandhi that Congress itself woke up to the contented late. “In 2011, the Congress-led UPA authorities initiated the Socio-Economic and Caste census, which included a caste component—the archetypal specified effort since 1931," helium deed back. He further accused the Congress of failing to merchandise the caste data, citing ‘inconsistencies’.

Beyond what the aboriginal whitethorn hold, the contiguous intelligibly puts BJP successful a politically advantageous position, adjacent though it has taken a U-turn from its stated presumption wherever it consistently attacked absorption parties for backing caste census. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave the clarion telephone of ‘Batenge Toh Katenge’ during the persecution of Hindus successful Bangladesh arsenic helium urged the Hindu assemblage successful India to enactment united, portion PM Modi’s ‘Ek Hain Toh Safe Hain’ slogan was credited for the Maharashtra assembly canvass win.

Location :

First Published:

News elections Deflating RaGa’s Key Weapon Before Bihar Polls Or U-Turn? Decoding BJP’s Nod For Caste Census