NEW DELHI: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday took a jibe at the BJP and RSS, saying, “guḍ khaye, gulgule se parhez”, amid the spat between NDA allies Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi over reservation. The leader of opposition in Bihar assembly also accused the two Union ministers of acting on the “instructions” of the RSS and alleged that the BJP-RSS was “anti-reservation”. He also challenged Chirag and Manjhi to resign from their posts and contest elections from unreserved seats if they opposed reservation.
Taking a dig at the two leaders on X, Tejashwi said, “Guḍ khaye, gulgule se parhez!” He alleged that Chirag and Manjhi were speaking in different voices on the issue of sub-categorisation of SC/ST reservations while allegedly acting on the directions of the RSS. “Two Union Ministers, Shri Jitan Ram Manjhi and Chirag Paswan, are speaking in opposite directions on the instructions of RSS, diverting attention from the original objective of BJP-RSS to end reservations, and want to gauge the sentiments of reservation supporters,” he said.
He alleged that both ministers, who were elected from reserved constituencies, were benefiting from reservation while being part of the BJP-led NDA. “First and foremost, these ministers, elected from reserved quotas, are sitting in the lap of the Constitution and reservation opponents, enjoying the peak pleasures of power,” Tejashwi said. “If these two have a deep hatred for reservations, let them contest elections from unreserved seats and see their - eyes will open,” he added.
Tejashwi also questioned the position of NDA allies in Bihar, including the parties led by Nitish Kumar, Upendra Kushwaha, Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi, on the 65% reservation quota introduced by the state government. “If these parties are pro-reservation, then why don't they get the increased 65% reservation limit in Bihar, raised in our government, included in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution?” he asked.
Tejashwi's remarks came a day after differences within the NDA over sub-categorisation of SC/ST reservations became public, with Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi taking opposing positions. The row began after Manjhi and his son, Bihar minister Santosh Kumar Suman, supported the idea of sub-categorisation to ensure that the most deprived Dalit communities receive a greater share of reservation benefits. Chirag, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), strongly opposed any move to review reservation and demanded that Manjhi and his son resign if they supported such a measure.
“The constitutional provision of SC/ST reservation is based on social discrimination and not economic status. If they want to change the Constitution, then debate the issue in Parliament. Those who talk or think about reviewing reservation should first resign, as they actually want to completely end it and reduce its scope,” Chirag said. He also asserted that reservation was in place in the past, remains in place today and would continue in the future. Responding to Chirag's demand, Suman said he was ready to resign, but challenged Chirag to take the first step. “As far as resignations go, we are ready. My younger brother’s party is the bigger one; they have more numbers than us and are politically third-generation too, so let them take the lead. Let him step forward by resigning and we are prepared to resign alongside him,” Suman said.
Tejashwi also targeted RSS chief over his earlier remarks on reviewing reservation, saying, “Mohan Bhagwat had also spoken earlier about reviewing reservations”, adding that Bihar “ne unke kaan pakad kar achhe se uthak-baithak karwa di thi. Ab phir karenge toh Bihari log RSS/BJP ka murga bana dega.” He was referring to Bhagwat's 2015 call for a review of the reservation policy, which became a major political issue during the Bihar assembly election that year. Tejashwi said ending reservation was “a remote possibility” and accused the BJP of testing public sentiment on the issue. “None can put an end to reservation. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat called for a review of reservation in 2015, and the people of Bihar taught him a lesson,” the RJD leader said.
“These people are merely characters. They only want posts. They are greedy for positions, chairs, bungalows and security, but they have left society behind...” he added. The dispute comes amid renewed political debate over SC/ST sub-categorisation after the Supreme Court's August 1, 2024 Constitution Bench judgment held that states can create sub-categories within SC and ST reservations to ensure benefits reach the most disadvantaged communities. The issue has particular significance in Bihar, where Dalit communities are socially and politically diverse. The state government introduced the Mahadalit category in 2007 to identify the most deprived Dalit communities.
