Rahul Gandhi’s recent call for “jitni aabadi utna haq” (quota proportionate to strength in population) to appeal to the OBCs (Other Backward Castes) seems to be plagiarized from a slogan first used by Ram Manohar Lohia in 1956 and later adopted by the Samyukta Socialist Party (SSP) in 1961. The Congress party, under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, sympathized with the cause of the deprived but did not endorse the integration of this caste-based slogan into its political agenda.
During the 1980s, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) founder Kanshi Ram modified the Lohiaite slogan to “Jiski jitni sankhya bhaari, uski utni hissedari.” However, the Congress party did not rush to imitate or adopt this chant.
When the Mandal Commission report became the focus of political discussions during the Janata Dal-National Front era, Rajiv Gandhi, as the Leader of Opposition, expressed concerns about the hasty implementation of the recommendations by VP Singh. He criticized the decision for causing strife on the streets and emphasized the Congress party’s stance on economic backwardness as the basis for reform, rather than caste. Rajiv Gandhi referred to the Indira Gandhi-era slogan “Na jaat par na paat par; Indiraji ki baat par, mohar lagegi Haath par” (Not on caste or creed, votes will be won based on Indira Gandhi’s assurances) to support his argument.
In the current political landscape, there hasn’t been much debate within the Congress party on this issue. Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi recently cautioned against pursuing a “recipe for majoritarianism” but later retracted his statement. It is believed that he was influenced by the head of the publicity department.
The Samyukta Socialist Party (SSP), which was a prominent opposition party in the early years of independence, used the banyan tree as its symbol. Some of its offshoots, such as the Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and Janata Dal (United), continue to exist today.
Nitish Kumar, who was once a member of the SSP’s youth wing Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha (SYS), has upheld his political legacy by conducting a caste survey in Bihar. Rahul Gandhi’s involvement in the caste survey and the “Jitni abaadi utna haq” debate represents a departure from the Congress party’s legacy, possibly in the hope of reversing the party’s decline since Narendra Modi’s rise to power. In the past two elections, the Congress party has retained approximately 20% of the national vote. It remains to be seen if the party’s attempt to embrace a Hindutva agenda and the Mandal plank will help expand its support base or result in attrition.
Although Mallikarjun Kharge was appointed as the President of the Congress party in March 2022, Rahul Gandhi, along with his trusted party general secretary, KC Venugopal, remains the central figures within the party. No decision is made without their approval, and Kharge seems to be comfortable with this arrangement.
Congress leaders privately believe that their party will play a central role in an alliance government in 2024, and Kharge’s name is often mentioned as a potential leader of that coalition. Speculation about Manmohan Singh 2.0 and Mandal 2.0 is also circulating. Rahul Gandhi is willing to be flexible to ensure the success of the “INDIA” alliance.
During his recent visit to Amritsar, Rahul Gandhi engaged in religious activities at the Golden Temple and performed various services. Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Raja Warring issued a statement requesting party workers not to disturb Rahul Gandhi during his “personal visit.” Some party workers were upset because, at the same time, a Congress MLA was imprisoned by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, leading to protests statewide. The central Congress leaders did not respond to these incidents, as maintaining a good relationship with AAP seems more important for the “INDIA” alliance.
The “INDIA” alliance has been marked more by its diversity than its unity. AAP’s opposition to the Delhi Services Ordinance at the first “INDIA” meeting in Patna did not yield any results. Similarly, when Trinamool Congress held an agitation in Delhi, no AAP volunteers were seen supporting them, even though Trinamool leaders faced arrests and police aggression.
The ongoing controversy over the caste census and its aftermath has put Narendra Modi in the spotlight for the “INDIA” bloc. The BJP has gradually taken up the Mandal agenda while maintaining its stance on Hindutva. Modi believes that the poor belong to the biggest “caste” and should receive the largest share. This aligns with the Marxian focus on economic deprivation rather than the caste-based approach advocated by some members of the “INDIA” bloc. In 2024, it remains to be seen if Rahul Gandhi’s attempt to shape his own narrative, departing from his party’s legacy, will help the Congress party regain its lost ground.
(Shubhabrata Bhattacharya is a retired Editor and a public affairs commentator.)
Disclaimer: These personal opinions are solely those of the author.