New Delhi: Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi has weighed in on the ongoing debate over "jitni abadi utna haq" (greater population, greater right) triggered by the Bihar government's release of caste census findings. Singhvi emphasized that those advocating for rights based on population should consider the consequences, as it may lead to 'majoritarianism'. Rahul Gandhi, the former Congress President, supported "jitni abadi utna haq."

Singhvi, a Rajya Sabha MP, pointed out, "Equality of opportunity is never the same as equality of outcomes. People endorsing #jitniabadiutnahaq have to first completely understand the consequences of it. It will eventually culminate into majoritarianism." The Bihar government, led by Nitish Kumar, released the findings of its long-awaited caste survey ahead of the 2024 general elections. The data revealed that Bihar's total population is slightly over 13.07 crore, with the Extremely Backward Classes (36%) as the largest social segment, followed by the Other Backward Classes at 27.13%.

Rahul Gandhi welcomed Bihar's caste survey and highlighted the underrepresentation of OBCs in the Central Government. He said, "The caste census of Bihar has revealed that OBC SC ST are 84% there. Out of 90 secretaries of the Central Government, only 3 are OBC, who handle only 5% of India's budget! Therefore, it is important to know the caste statistics of India. The greater the population, the greater the rights – this is our pledge." Prime Minister Narendra Modi also criticized Rahul Gandhi's remarks during a rally in Chhattisgarh. He questioned whether the Congress wanted to reduce the rights of minorities by emphasizing population-based resource allocation.

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