Why is BJP accusing Congress and Rahul Gandhi of being 'anti-OBC', will the charge stick?

Tribune Web Desk

Vibha Sharma

Chandigarh, April 3

Rahul Gandhi in Surat to appeal against his conviction by a local court in the ‘Modi surname’ issue saw the BJP taking potshots at him and Congress leaders accompanying him while reiterating and augmenting the “anti-OBC bias” charge.

Aiming to put the Congress on the backfoot, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra claimed Gandhi was going with family and chief ministers (“with pomp and show”) to “repeat and add to the insult” of the OBC community.

“Rahul Gandhi, is it not true that you used a casteist remark against the OBC community? You called them a thief and abused them. You are going to Surat with your family, and some chief ministers with pomp and show. Appealing is a democratic right. You are going to augment the insult that you have thrown to the OBC community by going and staging this kind of protest in Surat. Are you trying to pressurise the Indian judiciary through these gimmicks of yours?” Patra said.

BJP and OBCs

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an OBC and so are many of its top leaders.

The BJP believes it has the upper hand when it comes to the section, which has played an important role in several of its victories, including in critical states like Uttar Pradesh.

OBC are believed to comprise close to half of the population of the country and the allegation of “insult to OBCs” over Gandhi calling “all thieves have Modi as the common surname” may have some political advantages.

The BJP, which has consolidated the group with measures like “Constitutional status to the OBC Commission, giving reservation to the community in educational institutions” etc, also believes the OBCs will help Prime Minister Modi get his third term in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls

Apparently, the government is also considering implementing OBC reservation in all-India quota seats of state agricultural universities.

Since his conviction by the Surat court, the BJP has methodically gone after Gandhi.

According to senior leaders by “comparing OBC communities to thieves,” Rahul Gandhi has proven his “casteist mindset”.

The party also plans to reach out to one crore OBC households across one lakh villages in the country between April 6 (its foundation day) and April 14 (birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar) “to expose Congress’ and highlight the “historic” decisions of the Modi Government for the “welfare of the community”.

Political importance of OBCs

When it comes to politics, OBCs are seen as one social group, an important vote block even though OBC reservations are not at par with SC/ST reservations.

Based on surveys conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) and National Family and Health Survey (NFHS), other backward classes constitute around 43.3 to 43.8 per cent of the population

The figure is apart from the SC/ST population, which is around another 21/22 per cent.

In 2007, the NSSO pegged OBCs at 40.94 per cent, SCs at 19.59 per cent, STs at 8.63 per cent and the rest at 30.80 per cent.

A similar survey in 1999-2000 had put OBCs at around 35 per cent.

Though extrapolating the 1931 Census report, surveys etc, the Mandal Commission estimated OBCs around 52 per cent.

“The population of OBCs, both Hindu and non-Hindu, is around 52% of the total population of India. Accordingly 52% of all posts under the Central government should be reserved for them. But this provision may go against the law laid down in a number of Supreme Court judgments wherein it has been held that the total quantum of reservation under Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution should be below 50%.

“In view of this, the proposed reservation for OBCs would have to be pegged at a figure which when added to 22.5% for SCs and STs, remains below 50%. In view of this legal constraint, the Commission is obliged to recommend a reservation of 27% only, even though their (OBC) population is almost twice this figure”, according to reports quoting the commission.

Congress versus BJP’ charge

Whether the BJP’s charge will stick is the big question.

Congress leaders have questioned the logic of how the criticism of Nirav Modi and Lalit Modi could be counted as an insult to the OBCs.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also slammed the BJP over the charge citing his own case

Gehlot is an OBC and so are many top Congress leaders.

Gandhi has been convicted to two years of jail by the Surat court.

It followed disqualification from his membership of Parliament under provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

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