A political storm has erupted in India following Rahul Gandhi’s recent remarks in the United States. During an interaction with students at Georgetown University, the Congress leader stated that his party would consider scrapping reservations in India when the country becomes a ‘fair place’. This comment has ignited a fierce debate, with the BJP accusing Gandhi of being against reservation for the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
The BJP, currently in power at the national level, has accused Gandhi of holding a prejudice against reservation, claiming his remarks reveal a long-standing anti-reservation stance within the Congress party. BJP leader and former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad went so far as to allege that the Congress’s advocacy for the Constitution and reservation is merely a charade. He also pointed fingers at former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi, claiming they were also opposed to providing reservation to SCs, STs, and OBCs.
Prasad demanded that leaders of the opposition INDIA bloc, including DMK chief M K Stalin, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, and leaders of the Left parties, break their silence on Gandhi’s remarks. He also warned that the BJP would vehemently oppose any attempt by the Congress to tamper with or scrap the provision of reservation.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, a key ally of the BJP, echoed similar sentiments, stating that there was no need to go outside India and discuss reservations. He asserted that the Constitution is not in danger as long as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is alive. Athawale also highlighted the importance of achieving both social and economic justice, suggesting that reservations will become redundant when people from disadvantaged communities are able to rise above their socioeconomic challenges.
Gandhi’s statement drew heavily on the argument that reservations have not led to fair economic participation for SCs, STs, and OBCs. He pointed to statistics showing that these communities receive only a small percentage of the overall national wealth. However, the BJP maintains that Gandhi’s remarks are part of a larger conspiracy to dismantle reservations.
The controversy surrounding Gandhi’s comments adds another layer of complexity to the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The opposition INDIA bloc had campaigned heavily on the issue of reservations during the previous election, accusing the BJP of attempting to dismantle the system. The BJP, on the other hand, has repeatedly emphasized its commitment to preserving and strengthening reservation policies. It is expected that this issue will remain a central point of contention in the upcoming election.
