The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken issue with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his recent comments on caste and reservation.
The BJP claimed that he is trying to divide the country based on caste. This back-and-forth has revived the political debate over the caste-based reservation system and social justice in India.
Rahul Gandhi on Reservation
When speaking with students at Georgetown University in the United States, Rahul Gandhi spoke to the issue of caste-based reservation in India. He was quited saying, “We will think of ending reservation in India when India is a just place and right now India is not a just place.”
His comment implied that reservation policies should stand until inbuilt injustice is addressed.
BJP’s Response
The BJP reacted sharply to Gandhi’s comments. Union Home Minister Amit Shah went so far as to accuse the Congress leader of trying to break society down into caste groups.
Shah said: “Rahul Gandhi’s statement proves the Congress’s politics are founded on creating divisions on the basis of regionalism, religion, and linguistic conflicts.”
Further, he added that the BJP would fight any attempt to end the reservation system: “As long as the BJP exists, no one will ever eliminate reservations, nor will anyone introduce anything that hampers national security.”
Historical Context
Congress’s Position on ReservationsThe BJP put forth Congress’s historical opposition to reservations based on caste.
Senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad mentioned that former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, and Rajiv Gandhi were opposed to reservations based on caste.
He said, “Opposition to reservation is Rahul Gandhi’s inheritance,”. Therefore, reinforcing the idea that Congress’s stance today contradicts prior stances made by the party.
Internal Dissent in Congress
The question of reservation based on caste has created internal dissent within the Congress.
Anand Sharma, a senior Congress leader and Congress Working Committee member, wrote to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. He askee what the party’s campaign promise of a nationwide caste census meant.
Anand Sharma’s letter criticized the current Congress leadership for endorsing a caste census. He added, former Prime Ministers Nehru and Indira Gandhi were opposed to a caste census.
Hence, this is another example where the current leadership is unlikely to remain true to the party’s historical position.
Hypocrisy and Political Opportunism
The BJP accused Rahul Gandhi of a hypocritical position. Consequently, highlighting that both his father and grandmother opposed caste-based reservations.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla stated, “The Congress itself has exposed the Congress by holding the mirror up to the Gandhi-Vadras and exposing their true faces and hypocrisy.”
He suggested that Congress’s present argument for a caste census. The same Congress which moved to dismantle a “caste census” during the construction of its mandate, is nothing more than enlightened political opportunism.
Public Reaction and Social Media
DiscourseThe spat between Rahul Gandhi and the BJP sparked a public debate. Social media has been buzzing with views on the value and disvalue of caste-based reservations.
On Twitter, hashtags like #ReservationDebate and #CasteCensus has been trending.
There are wildly divergent opinions on the matter. Subsequently, a variety of individuals supported Gandhi’s call for continued reservations until systemic inequalities are resolved.
On the other hand, others aligned with the BJP’s critique of Congress’s brand. Ultimately, the recent spat between Rahul Gandhi and the BJP highlights the persisting muddy waters of caste-based reservations in India.
Gandhi calls for the continued reservations until guided by equity. Meanwhile, the BJP accuses him of not recognizing their political divisiveness and hypocritical stance.
