V.P. Singh implemented the Mandal Commission report and plunged the country into ‘caste riots’.
NEW DELHI
Is Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar trying to follow the path of former Prime Minister V.P. Singh? In fact, V.P. Singh as part of a political game plan had implemented the Mandal Commission report. But it was completely rejected by the people of the country. As a result, he had to lose the post of Prime Minister.
In the 1990s, the BJP countered Mandal politics with the Hindutva agenda, following which it got the power at the Centre twice under the leadership of Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Since 2014, BJP has been in power at the Centre under the leadership of Narendra Modi. The hurry with which Nitish Kumar released the caste census data in his state shows that he is eyeing the post of Prime Minister by following the path of V.P. Singh. Nitish Kumar’s move has diverted the country’s attention from the issues of inflation, unemployment, farmers’ problems and corruption. What is more surprising is that the Congress, which suffered loss due to caste politics, is also hoping to return to power at the Centre on the basis of caste census. Former party president Rahul Gandhi and current president Mallikarjun Kharge are targeting the Modi government at the Centre by raising caste census as a major issue in their election rallies.
Former PMs Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi never allowed the Mandal Commission report to be made public during their tenure. In 1980, the Mandal Commission had submitted its report to the then Congress government led by Indira Gandhi. After the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984, Rajiv Gandhi also did not touch the report during his entire five-year tenure. But after his departure, V.P. Singh, who formed the government with the parties doing caste politics, implemented the Mandal Commission report and plunged the country into “caste riots”. After that period, Congress suffered the most. It lost the traditional upper caste vote bank. The votes of different castes went with those doing caste politics. As a result, the Congress got completely wiped out in many big states. Since 1984, Congress could never touch the majority mark. It definitely got a chance to be in power thrice with the help of an alliance. Interestingly, Congress struck an alliance with the same parties which played an important role in destroying it in the states. After coming to power in 2004, Congress never tried to somehow cross the majority mark on its own. The party was afraid that if it went it alone in the elections, the alliance partners would leave it.
Before 2014, Congress and the entire Opposition had predicted that no one would ever be able to get a majority in this country which is divided on caste and religion lines. They believed that BJP would not be able to come even close to the majority mark. But the 2014 general election results dashed the hope of the entire Opposition including Congress. The issue of religion and corruption wiped out the entire opposition. The Congress could not even get the post of leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha.
After this, a phase of experiments started in Congress, but no one could challenge the leadership of BJP. Even in the second term of Prime Minister Modi after 2019, instead of strengthening the organization state-wise, efforts are being made to boost up the image of Rahul Gandhi. As part of this, last year Rahul Gandhi boosted Congress’ morale by taking out Bharat Jodo Yatra, but after the end of that yatra, his politics suddenly changed track.
He got entangled in coalition politics. He started raising the issue of caste census. After Bihar, there was pressure for caste census in other Congress ruled states including Karnataka. Nitish’s gambit of backward politics in Bihar does not seem to benefit Congress. Prime Minister Modi accused the Opposition of continuing to commit the “paap” (sin) of dividing society along caste lines, in an oblique attack on his rivals over the Bihar caste census. BJP will not oppose it but can again strongly push forward the agenda of Kamandal politics i.e. Hindutva. After Ayodhya, the issue of Mathura, Kashi, etc. are lined up. BJP will also raise the issue of patriotism. What will be its form will be known in the coming days. These are such sensitive cases which may counter caste politics. There is also apprehension about whether the caste census issue will gain momentum outside Bihar. It will not have any impact in a big state such as Uttar Pradesh. In such a situation, the Congress will suffer the most politically. The regional parties which are dependent on caste-based politics will become stronger and Congress will remain where it was. The partners of I.N.D.I.A, such as TMC and Aam Aadmi Party, are already against it. There is no unanimity in the Opposition alliance over the agenda of caste census that Rahul Gandhi is pursuing. However, no one is opposing it at the same time.