A Pandora's Box Opens: Reservation Policy Under Siege The recent public spat between Union ministers Jitan Ram Manjhi and Chirag Paswan over a separate sub category for marginalized SC communities within the Scheduled Castes quota has sparked a contentious debate that threatens to upset the delicate balance of power in Bihar.
This is not just an intraparty squabble but also a symptom of deeper fissures within the BJP led NDA government, which finds itself caught between its commitment to social justice and pressure from upper caste voters who are increasingly restless.
The Supreme Court's August 2024 judgment allowing states to sub categorize castes within SCs based on socio economic backwardness has opened a Pandora's box.