Rahul Gandhi made a serious allegation at an election rally in Bihar. He said that upper castes dominate big companies, government jobs, and the army. Dalits, backward castes, and minorities are underrepresented in these key positions. He reiterated his demand for a caste census. The BJP has called this statement dangerous.
New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a serious allegation at an election rally in Kutumba, Bihar. He said that upper castes dominate big companies, government jobs, and the army. He said that Dalits, backward castes, and minorities, who constitute 90% of the country’s population, are not in sufficient numbers in these key positions. He made this statement today, just before the first phase of voting in the Bihar Assembly elections.
Rahul Gandhi reiterated his demand for a national caste census, saying it is essential for equal representation and constitutional rights. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly objected to his statement and called it dangerous.
In his statement, Rahul Gandhi said that if one looks at the list of 500 large companies, Dalits, Extremely Backward Castes, Mahadalits, minorities, and tribals will not be seen. He claimed that all these people represent only 10% of the country’s population, which comes from upper castes. He also alleged that all the money in banks, all the jobs, and important positions in the bureaucracy are held by these upper castes.
He also accused the army of being controlled by upper castes. However, the army does not have any official records of such caste-wise data. Similarly, limited information is available about the higher judiciary. Rahul Gandhi’s statement came while he was addressing a rally in Kutumba, a Scheduled Caste (SC) reserved constituency.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reacted sharply to Rahul Gandhi’s statement. BJP leaders called his statement divisive and dangerous for the country. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari posted on Instagram, saying, “Rahul Gandhi now wants to divide our armed forces on the basis of caste! The Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force stand for ‘Nation First,’ not caste, religion, or class. Rahul Gandhi hates our brave armed forces! Rahul Gandhi is anti-India!”
Andhra Pradesh Minister Satya Kumar Yadav also reacted, writing, “Rahul Gandhi’s rhetoric has reached a new low. By dragging the Indian Army into his casteist rhetoric, he has insulted one of the most professional and apolitical forces in the world, where soldiers serve for the tricolor, not on the basis of caste.” Mumbai BJP spokesperson Suresh Nakhua said, “In his hatred for Prime Minister Modi, he has already crossed the line into hating India.”
Rahul’s Caste Agenda in Bihar
Rahul Gandhi has been talking about ‘social justice’ and ‘anti-casteism’ for the past few years, especially in Bihar. The Congress’s main ally in Bihar is the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), which has traditionally been a party of backward castes, particularly Yadavs and Muslims, although its electoral base has shifted over time.
As far as the figures cited by Rahul Gandhi are concerned, recent caste data is not readily available nationwide. This information will be collected in the next census.
What does the Bihar Caste Survey data say?
However, Bihar conducted a caste survey in 2023. According to this survey, the so-called upper caste or unreserved category constitutes a little over 15% of the population in Bihar. The survey also revealed that Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs), for whom the RJD and Congress-led Grand Alliance have made special promises, are the largest caste or community group in Bihar, accounting for 36% of the population. Other Backward Classes (OBCs) are followed by 27%, Scheduled Castes (SCs) at around 20%, and Adivasis at just under 2%. By religion, approximately 18% of the population is Muslim and approximately 82% is Hindu.
There is no separate caste-based data in the army.
There is no separate caste-based data available in the military. However, it is true that regiments have traditionally been named after different communities. Rahul Gandhi is citing surveys and available data to argue that backward castes are deprived of representation in all important sectors due to discrimination.
Regarding representation in the judiciary, according to data shared by the government in Parliament, only one-third of the judges appointed to various High Courts between 2018-22 were from minority communities.
Data on Castes in the Judicial System
The Law Ministry, in response to a question, stated that only 4% of judges were from Scheduled Castes (SCs) or Scheduled Tribes (STs), and about 11% were from Other Backward Classes (OBCs). There is no reservation in the appointment of judges in the Supreme Court and High Courts. Therefore, the Ministry stated that category-wise data regarding the representation of individuals from any caste or class is not centrally available.
However, it shared details for the High Courts from 2018, as judges are required to provide details of their social background. In its response in the Lok Sabha, the Ministry also underlined that the responsibility for initiating proposals for the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court rests with the Chief Justice of India and the Chief Justices of the respective High Courts. The Ministry also stated that the government is committed to enhancing social diversity in the judiciary.
“Upper Castes Control Important Institutions”
In his speech, Rahul Gandhi also pointed out that upper castes control important institutions such as the corporate world, bureaucracy, and the military. He emphasized that Dalits, backward castes, and minorities, who constitute 90% of the country’s population, are not present in adequate numbers in these sectors. He reiterated the demand for a national caste census, stating that it is essential for equitable representation and constitutional rights.
Curated by: Ashok Upadhyay
About the Author
Ashok Upadhyay is a Senior Digital Content Producer at Navbharat Times Online. 10 years of experience in journalism. Started his journalism career in 2014 with the Hindi newspaper Navbharat Times. He specializes in reporting on politics, sports, and the crime beat. He has also worked on the central desk at Amar Ujala Dehradun. He has also done ground reporting for several elections. He has been working on the news desk at NBT Digital for the last five years. He has a strong understanding of Google trends and the use of AI tools. He studied journalism from JIMMC, Noida.
Courtesy: Hindi News