Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bihar, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged that the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state has nearly “given up” on its proposed plan to provide 65% reservation to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Extremely Backward Classes (EBC).
In a post on X, Ramesh, Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications, criticized the so-called “double-engine government” for failing to protect the reservation policy, which is currently facing legal challenges.
“The PM is in Bihar today. On the basis of the caste survey conducted by the erstwhile INDIA bloc government in Bihar, the state government had proposed 65% reservation for SCs, STs, OBCs, and EBCs. This is under challenge in the courts. The double-engine Govt in Bihar has all but given up,” Ramesh posted.
To make the 65% reservation legally viable, Ramesh suggested three constitutional measures:
- Include Bihar’s Reservation Law in the Ninth Schedule: Drawing a parallel with the Narasimha Rao government’s move in 1994 to protect Tamil Nadu’s 69% quota, he urged the Centre to shield Bihar’s reservation law similarly from judicial review.
- Amend the Constitution to Exceed the 50% Reservation Cap: Ramesh called for amending the Constitution to overcome the Supreme Court-imposed cap on reservations, which currently limits quotas to 50%.
- Implement Article 15(5): He demanded the enforcement of Article 15(5), which allows reservations for SCs, STs, OBCs, and EBCs in private educational institutions. Though the provision was upheld by the Supreme Court and added via a 2006 amendment under the UPA government, it remains unimplemented after 11 years, he noted.
“Most definitely, the INC will take up these three issues of fundamental importance to social justice and empowerment in the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning July 21, 2025,” he asserted.
The remarks come just hours before PM Modi is scheduled to inaugurate key infrastructure and welfare projects in Bihar’s Siwan district, in what is seen as a significant outreach ahead of the Assembly elections due in October.
The Congress has recently intensified its pitch for nationwide caste census and full implementation of reservation provisions in education and jobs, including in the private sector, as part of its broader social justice agenda.