Bihar Caste Census: Congress Leaders Not On The Same Page Over Rahul Gandhi's 'Jitni Abadi Utna Haq'

Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi has shared his perspective on the "jitni abadi utna haq" (right as per population) debate that has emerged in the wake of Bihar's caste census findings.

Singhvi cautioned against the consequences of prioritizing rights solely based on population, suggesting it could lead to majoritarianism. This statement comes after Rahul Gandhi, former Congress President, advocated for "jitni abadi utna haq."

Singhvi emphasized the difference between equality of opportunity and equality of outcomes, hinting that a focus on population-based rights could culminate in majoritarianism. Taking to his social media handle X, the Rajya Sabha MP said, "Equality of opportunity is never the same as equality of outcomes. People endorsing #jitniabadiutnahaq have to first completely understand the consequences of it. It will eventually culminate into majoritarianism,"

The Bihar government, led by Nitish Kumar, disclosed the results of its highly anticipated caste survey on Monday, which comes just a few months ahead of the 2024 general elections. The data revealed that Bihar's total population is a little over 13.07 crore, with the Extremely Backward Classes making up the largest social segment at 36%, followed by the Other Backward Classes at 27.13%.

Rahul Gandhi welcomed the Bihar caste survey results on social media, highlighting the dominance of OBC, SC, and ST communities in the state's demographics. He argued that the data underscores the need for comprehensive caste statistics in India and suggested that a greater population should equate to greater rights. "The caste census of Bihar has revealed that OBC SC ST are 84% there. Out of 90 secretaries of the Central Government, only 3 are OBC, who handle only 5% of India's budget! Therefore, it is important to know the caste statistics of India. The greater the population, the greater the rights - this is our pledge", wrote the Wayanad MP on his social media handle X.

However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized Rahul Gandhi's stance during a rally in poll-bound Chhattisgarh today, questioning whether the Congress now intends to decrease the rights of minorities, given its emphasis on population-based resource allocation.
"Since yesterday, Congress leaders are saying 'jitni aabadi utna haq'. I was wondering what the former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would be thinking. He used to say that the minority has the first right to the country's resources", said PM Modi at a rally in Jagdalpur, Chattisgarh.

The PM went on further to question Congress's intentions for the minority saying, "Congress is saying that the population of the community will decide who will have the first right to the country's resources. So now do they (Congress) want to decrease the rights of the minority? Do they want to remove the minorities?"

This debate over population-based rights and resource allocation has stirred discussions about social justice, representation, and the potential consequences of such policies in India's diverse and complex societal landscape.