Rahul Gandhi's call for 'jitni abadi, utna haq' will kill India: Rijiju

Slamming Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said that the former is playing with fire

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday over his philosophy of 'jitni abadi, utna haq' (the rights of any group are proportionate to its population share). Rijiju argued that this viewpoint would deprive less populous hilly states in northeastern India of essential resources and opportunities.

In a post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), Rijiju warned that such an approach would sideline minorities in the process of nation-building.

"Rahul Gandhi is playing with fire. His advocacy for 'Jitni Abadi-Utna Haq' could have disastrous consequences for India," said Rijiju.

"States such as Arunachal Pradesh and other hilly northeastern states, along with Ladakh and numerous small communities with lesser populations, will be left wanting. Difficult border areas, unsuitable for large populations, will remain underdeveloped. Moreover, minorities in India will miss out on opportunities to contribute to nation-building," he added.

"How desperate can one be for power?" queried the Union Minister.

This criticism follows the release of the much-anticipated caste survey by the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government months ahead of the 2024 general elections. According to the survey data, Bihar's total population is slightly over 130.7 million. The Extremely Backward Classes make up the largest social segment at 36 per cent, followed by the Other Backward Classes at 27.13 per cent.

Endorsing the findings, Rahul Gandhi posted on social media platform X, "The caste census of Bihar reveals that OBC, SC, and ST collectively constitute 84 per cent of the population. Yet, out of 90 secretaries in the Central Government, only three are OBC, managing just 5 per cent of India's budget. It is therefore critical to know India's caste demographics. The greater the population, the greater the rights – this is our pledge."
 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also took issue with Gandhi's comments. While addressing a rally in poll-bound Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, the Prime Minister remarked, "Since yesterday, Congress leaders have been advocating 'jitni abadi, utna haq.' It makes me wonder what former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would think, given he once stated that minorities should have the first right to the country's resources. Now, Congress seems to suggest that resource allocation should be population-based, potentially undermining the rights of minorities."
 

(With agency input)