Leaders of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) on Wednesday (September 24, 2025) released a 10-point resolution for the Extremely Backward Class (EBC), including a pledge to bring in a law for protection against atrocities on the lines of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act, if the bloc was voted to power in Bihar.
The resolution, read out by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, also proposes increasing EBC reservation in panchayat and municipal bodies from 20% to 30%, raising the overall cap to 50%, providing land to landless SC, ST, Other Backward Classes and EBC families, enforcing Article 15(5) for admission in private institutions, and 50% quota for SCs, STs, OBCs and EBCs in government contracts worth up to ₹25 crore. A high-powered regulatory authority will oversee reservations, the resolution said.
At an event titled ‘Ati Pichhda Nyay Sankalp’ (pledge for justice to EBC) held in Patna, Mr. Gandhi asserted that all ten points would be implemented if the INDIA bloc came to power in the State.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, Vikassheel Insaan Party leader Mukesh Sahani were also present at the event, which followed a meeting of the extended Congress Working Committee (CWC).
The EBCs, according to a caste survey done by the Nitish Kumar government a few years ago, comprise 36% of the State’s population.
“Nitish Kumar has been in power for 20 years. He could have brought in the proposed Act. He could have done all that we promise to do. But he did not, because he treated EBCs and other deprived castes as items to be used and thrown,” Mr. Gandhi said.
Watch: Rahul Gandhi accuses EC of vote chori: Explained
On Tuesday, The Hindu had reported on the move of the Opposition bloc’s special outreach for the EBCs, long considered a strong hold of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
Speaking about alleged “vote theft”, Mr. Gandhi said, “Vote theft will be exposed thoroughly. Wait for a few days. Hydrogen bomb is coming”.
The CWC, at its meeting, adopted two resolutions highlighting issues with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleged vote chori (theft) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “huglomacy” reportedly backfiring and leaving India “diplomatically isolated”.
The extended CWC meeting also observed that farmers, already burdened with debt, repeated natural calamities, shortage of fertilizer and rising prices of agricultural supplies, were being driven to suicide, while denied adequate Central assistance.
The meeting also paid homage to Assam’s cultural icon Zubeen Garg, who passed away last week in an accident in Singapore.
Organisation initiative
Presided over by Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by Mr. Gandhi along with CWC members, Congress Legislature Party leaders and parliamentary party office-bearers, the meeting also reviewed the ongoing ‘Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan’ (SSA), a campaign to strengthen the organisation.
Congress general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said, under the SSA, District Congress Committee presidents will hold the most important position in the party. Pradesh Congress Commiteee presidents and general secretaries will act as district observers, spending 7–8 days with workers before DCC president selection.
Addressing the press at Sadaqat Ashram after the CWC meeting, Mr. Venugopal said, “A total of 51 people participated in the discussion over the resolution moved by Jairam Ramesh on the overall political situation in the country and the resolution moved by Bihar PCC president Rajesh Ram about the situation in Bihar ahead of the upcoming Assembly.”
He said Mr. Kharge and Mr. Gandhi congratulated Bihar’s leaders for the “Voter Adhikar Yatra”, the march held for voter rights in the State. He said people were now aware of “vote theft”, a result of the movement by the INDIA bloc in Bihar.
Signature campaign
Mr. Venugopal announced that from September 15 to October 15, a massive signature campaign would be held to collect five crore signatures on a statement posing five questions to the Election Commission of India.
In response to a question on seat-sharing in Bihar from The Hindu, he said, ”No discussion took place on this matter but, yes, the CWC appreciated the Telangana government for boldly becoming the first State in the country to reserve 42% of local body seats for OBCs.”
Political resolution
Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh elaborated on the political resolution which focused on “vote theft” and the Modi government’s “diplomatic failures”. The resolution said the Prime Minister’s “huglomacy” had “backfired… leaving India diplomatically isolated.”
The CWC also expressed distress over the “ongoing genocide of innocent civilians in Gaza”.
The resolution also condemned “the BJP-RSS’s relentless attacks on the Constitution and the Republic” and called the SIR of voter rolls “the greatest threat to democracy”, for “disenfranchising” Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis and minorities.
Kanhaiya Kumar, the All India Congress Committee in-charge of the National Student’s Union of India, said, “The Indian National Congress promises to continue the struggle… for protection of our fundamental constitutional rights, for reservation and social justice, and for ensuring fair delivery of welfare benefits.”
Published – September 25, 2025 01:26 am IST