Congress social justice plank faces tough test in Chhattisgarh
Rahul Gandhi addresses a public meeting for the Lok Sabha election in Bastar.
Though social justice has emerged as a key plank in the Congress’ Lok Sabha campaign nationwide, the theme is being put to a stern test in Chhattisgarh despite the backward classes forming a decisive majority in the State.
Apart from the many economic promises, the Congress has also promised to conduct a caste survey and increase reservation beyond 50%. While the Congress alleges that the BJP seeks 400-plus seats in the Lok Sabha election because it wants to tamper with the Constitution and end reservation, the BJP has attempted to change the narrative by claiming that it was indeed the Congress that was snatching the rights of Dalits, tribal people, and backward classes to give reservation to Muslims.
But even before this whole debate on the “Muslim” quota began, the Congress had limited impact in taking the social justice message to the intended beneciaries. With seven of the 11 constituencies still to go to the polls, issues such as Ram Temple; Article 370; religious conversion; the clout of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which towers over the BJP candidates; and the lingering questions emanating from last year’s Assembly election are all posing a challenge to the strategy.
Party sources said that apart from relaying the message through speeches and approaching voters to “ll guarantee cards”, the Congress has also nudged social organisations in tribal areas to conduct meetings and explain its position on reservation.
Observers such as political commentator Alok Putul, however, say that apart from the ₹1 lakh promise through survey forms, the party has not done enough to deconstruct complicated issues.
“There are many rst-time voters who say they want to vote for Hindu Rashtra, notwithstanding the serious implications of such an idea. This shows the eective delivery of the BJP in comparison,” he says. Congress leaders dier on this perception. “I feel we have been able to take the message that the BJP and the RSS want to change the Constitution and abolish reservation for the grassroots. This is also reecting in the speeches of the Prime Minister who has been forced to defend his party’s position on reservation,” Chandan Yadav, national secretary of the Congress in charge of Chhattisgarh, says.
Political commentator Harsh S. Dubey points out how during the 2023 Assembly election too the Congress had promised caste survey but it didn’t go well for the party.
In the election, the BJP sprang a surprise by returning to power, largely due to the shift in the tribal belts of Surguja and Bastar where the Congress suered heavy setbacks at the hands of the BJP.
“We did well in the OBC- and SC-dominated areas of the plains. I feel the backward sections of the State nd a common cause in reservation and social justice against Hindutva politics,” Mr. Yadav says.
“Also caste census is a part of the social justice narrative. Unless you know the numbers, how would you take armative action? I think the BJP has no answer to that,” he says.