Determined to ensure full rights for backward communities: Rahul Gandhi

A day after unveiling the ‘Ati Pichhda Nyay Sankalp’ in Patna, Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, 25 September, renewed his pledge with fervour, vowing to uplift Bihar’s EBCs, Dalits, tribals, minorities, and backward communities—the long-neglected pillars of social justice.

He asserted that no matter how many “lies and distractions” the BJP may spread, the Mahagathbandhan is committed to ensuring full rights and dignity for these groups.

The Congress leader, who was in Bihar for a meeting of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), shared the stage with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and key Mahagathbandhan allies, including RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. At the ‘Ati Pichhda Nyay Sankalp’ event, Gandhi unveiled a charter of promises aimed at strengthening the state’s most deprived sections.

Key promises under the ‘Nyay Sankalp Patra’

1. Reservation in Private Education: Gandhi announced that reservations would be extended to private colleges and universities. Additionally, half of the reserved seats in private schools would be earmarked for SC/ST/OBC/EBC children.

2. Abolition of ‘Not Found Suitable’ Clause: The controversial provision that often blocks deserving candidates from reserved categories in government jobs would be scrapped.

3. EBCs Prevention of Atrocities Act: A new law, modelled on the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, would be introduced to protect EBCs from discrimination and violence.

4. Quotas in Local Governance: The share of EBCs in local bodies and panchayats would be raised from 20% to 30%.

5. 50% Quota in Government Contracts: A combined quota for SCs, STs, OBCs, and EBCs in government contracts up to ₹25 crore would be implemented.

6. Land Rights: Landless families from deprived communities would be allotted three decimals of land in urban areas and five decimals in rural areas.

"No matter how many lies and distractions the BJP may perpetrate, we are determined to ensure the extremely backward, Dalit, tribal, minority, and backward communities receive their full rights," Rahul Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X.

Education as the core focus

Calling education the most powerful tool of progress, Gandhi said special provisions had been included to improve access for the marginalised. “This is not just a fight for education, but a fight for equality and respect. It is the guarantee of true social justice and equitable development,” he declared.

Political context

The outreach is being seen as an aggressive move by Congress to expand its influence among Bihar’s EBCs, who, according to the caste survey conducted by the Nitish Kumar government, make up 36% of the state’s population. Traditionally, this vote bank has been closely associated with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his JD(U).

Rahul Gandhi’s move signals an attempt by the INDIA bloc to challenge that dominance.

In his speech, Gandhi read out the 10-point ‘Nyay Sankalp Patra’, which he described as a blueprint for ensuring dignity and opportunity for historically deprived castes.

The strategy comes just ahead of the much-anticipated assembly polls, making it one of Congress’s boldest attempts at targeted caste-based mobilisation in Bihar.

With PTI inputs