Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : New Delhi – Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh has launched a sharp attack on Bihar's Nitish Kumar-led government, accusing it of abandoning its commitment to social justice by failing to challenge a court ruling that scrapped its plan to increase reservation quotas to 65%.
The controversy stems from a decision by the Patna High Court to strike down a state law that aimed to raise reservations for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) from 50% to 65%. The court ruled that the increase violated the 50% ceiling on quotas established by the Supreme Court.
Ramesh argued that the state government's failure to immediately appeal this decision in the Supreme Court is proof that it has "given up" on the policy, which was a key promise made following a comprehensive caste-based survey in the state.
The PM is in Bihar today. On the basis of the caste survey conducted by the erstwhile INDIA bloc Government in Bihar, the Bihar Government had proposed 65% reservation for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs, and EBCs. This is under challenge in the Courts. The double engine…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) June 20, 2025
"This is a betrayal of the people of Bihar," Ramesh stated, putting the government, an ally of the ruling NDA, on the spot.
In response to the legal setback, the Congress party has proposed a three-point plan to revive the reservation policy:
Immediate Supreme Court Appeal: The Bihar government should waste no time in challenging the Patna High Court's verdict in the nation's highest court.
Use the Ninth Schedule: The state legislature should pass the reservation bill again and urge the central government to place it in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. This is a special legal provision that shields laws from being challenged in court.
Remove the National 50% Cap: The Modi government at the center should amend the Constitution to remove the 50% cap on reservations altogether, a limit that has been a major hurdle for states seeking to expand affirmative action policies.
This political challenge from the Congress aims to corner the NDA on the sensitive issue of caste and reservation, questioning the coalition's sincerity in fulfilling its promises to marginalized communities in Bihar.
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