Patna: In a bold electoral gambit ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping 10-point resolution targeting the Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), promising to dismantle the 50% reservation ceiling and extend quotas to private jobs and high-value government contracts.
Speaking at a packed ‘Ati Pichra Nyay Sankalp’ symposium here, Gandhi, flanked by RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav and allies, declared, “We’ll break this fake 50% wall on reservations — it’s time the nation knows the true population share of every community through a caste census.”
The Mahagathbandhan’s manifesto, aimed at the pivotal 36% EBC vote bank, slams the BJP-NDA for eroding constitutional rights during Gandhi’s recent Voter Adhikar Yatra. Key pledges include:
Enacting an ‘Extremely Backward Classes Atrocities Prevention Act’ akin to SC/ST laws.
The EBC quota in panchayats and urban bodies will be increased from 20% to 30%.
Securing 50% reservation in contracts up to ₹25 crore for EBCs, SCs, STs, and OBCs, plus quotas in private institutions under Article 15(5).
Allotting 3 decimals of urban land or 5 in rural areas to landless families from these groups.
The ‘Not Found Suitable’ clause in recruitments will be eliminated, and a high-powered reservation authority will be established.
The proposal also includes reserving half of the RTE seats in private schools for EBC, OBC, SC, and ST children, and establishing a committee to address any anomalies in the EBC list.
Gandhi accused the Nitish Kumar regime of exploiting EBCs as mere vote banks, vowing swift implementation if the INDIA bloc triumphs. “From education to employment, we’ll ensure justice for Bihar’s most marginalised,” he asserted, drawing thunderous applause. With polls looming in November, this EBC-focused outreach signals a fierce battle for social justice supremacy.
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