New Delhi: A fierce political debate over the reservation system has erupted once again, with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge accusing the Narendra Modi-led government of harbouring a covert conspiracy to abolish the quota system. According to Kharge, the ruling dispensation is dismantling the constitutional rights of marginalized communities through a “back-door” strategy of leaving hundreds of thousands of government posts vacant and promoting contractual employment.
Drawing upon data purportedly obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act, Kharge launched a scathing attack on the Centre on Monday. He alleged that keeping government positions unfilled and privatising Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) are deliberate moves designed to bypass the constitutionally mandated reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC).
“In 2015, there were 4.21 lakh vacant posts in the central government, whereas by 2024, this number has escalated to 8.24 lakh,” Kharge stated. He highlighted that major departments are operating with significant shortfalls, citing 2.40 lakh vacancies in the Railways, 2.41 lakh in the Defence sector, and 1.10 lakh in the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Congress chief further claimed that 5.1 lakh permanent jobs within PSUs have been systematically eliminated, while the proportion of contract workers has surged from 19 per cent to 49 per cent.
“The issue is not just about employment; it is fundamentally about social justice,” Kharge emphasised. “Keeping government posts vacant directly reduces the opportunities for reservation. By selling off PSUs and converting permanent positions into contractual roles, the benefits of the quota system are being wiped out.”
In a sharp remark targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), he added, “There is no need to change the Constitution to end reservation; just eliminating jobs with reservation is enough. The BJP’s anti-social justice agenda has now been exposed.”
The ruling alliance was quick to counter the narrative, framing the allegations as mere political maneuvering designed to influence upcoming state elections. Union Minister and NDA ally Chirag Paswan dismissed the Congress’s claims, asserting that reservation is an entrenched constitutional right. Paswan firmly stated that as long as they are part of the government, no power can strip away the reservation system.
As the discourse over unemployment and social justice intensifies, political analysts note that the debate over reservation continues to be a potent election narrative, heavily weaponised by both the ruling coalition and the opposition to consolidate their respective voter bases.