Patna: After Leader of Opposition (LoP) Tejashwi Yadav demanded a one-day special session of the Bihar Assembly to push for 65 per cent reservation for backward and marginalised communities, Bihar BJP President, Dilip Jaiswal, responded sharply, accusing the Congress and RJD of double standards on the issue.
Speaking to the media in Patna, Jaiswal said, “The Congress ruled the country for 65 years, and Lalu Prasad Yadav ruled Bihar for 15 years — why didn’t they implement enhanced reservation for Backward Classes then? The Congress even kept the Kaka Kalelkar Commission report in cold storage for 30 years. Can they explain that?”
Dilip Jaiswal further defended the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government, stating, “It is the double engine government that has decided to provide 65 per cent reservation to Dalits, Mahadalits, Backward Classes, and Extremely Backward Classes in Bihar. The matter is currently pending in court, but the RJD is trying to politicise the issue.”
Highlighting the Centre’s initiatives, the BJP leader added, “Lalu Prasad Yadav never gave constitutional status to the Backward Class Commission. It was the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government that did so. It was also the Modi government that conferred Bharat Ratna on Karpoori Thakur, a long-standing demand of social justice proponents.”
Earlier in the day, Tejashwi Yadav took to social media platform X demanding that the Bihar government convene a one-day special session of the Assembly to pass a Bill enabling 65 per cent reservation and ensure its inclusion in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution to shield it from judicial scrutiny.
The RJD leader took a direct swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi and Upendra Kushwaha, demanding they should speak out before the Modi government for the inclusion of 65 per cent reservation in the 9th scheduled.
The war of words reflects the increasing political heat ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, with reservation for marginalised groups emerging as a major electoral issue.
(IANS)
