Tejashwi Yadav urges NDA allies to press Centre for Bihar's 75% quota in Ninth Schedule

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday asked National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners in Bihar to pressure the central government into placing the state's 75% reservation framework in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution.

Speaking at his Patna residence, Yadav said leaders such as Jitan Ram Manjhi, Chirag Paswan, Nitish Kumar, and Upendra Kushwaha were not serious about increasing reservation in the state. He claimed that by seeking a review of the quota structure, they were effectively strengthening the ideological positions of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Yadav recalled that the previous Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar had conducted a caste survey and raised the reservation ceiling for Backward Classes, Extremely Backward Classes, Scheduled Castes, and Scheduled Tribes to 65%. A proposal was sent to the Centre to include this enhanced quota, along with the 10% Economically Weaker Section (EWS) reservation, in the Ninth Schedule, taking the total to 75%. He alleged that NDA leaders failed to press the Centre on the matter, which led to the reversal of the increased limit.

The Patna High Court in June 2024 struck down amendments passed by the Bihar legislature in 2023 that had raised reservation from 50% to 65% in educational institutions and government jobs. The Bihar Assembly had unanimously passed the Bill on November 9, 2023, pushing total reservation to 75% with the EWS quota, exceeding the Supreme Court's 50% ceiling.

Yadav said the RJD had repeatedly urged the government to raise reservation from 75% to 85% and include it in the Ninth Schedule, but NDA leaders ignored these demands. He accused them of initiating talks on reviewing reservation to appease the BJP and RSS.

The RJD leader also criticised the Bihar government over alleged police action against common citizens. He accused the administration of framing people in false cases, including a purported FIR against journalists who do not write in favour of the government.

Yadav highlighted the case of a YouTuber from Vaishali district who was allegedly tortured by police in a fake case on August 29, 2026. The YouTuber, Kundan Kumar, claimed he was picked up from his house on the instructions of a state minister and beaten with more than 50 baton blows. He displayed his injuries to the media. Yadav said the incident occurred because Kumar had reported the truth in Patepur, the constituency of minister Lakhendra Paswan.

Yadav said he would not allow Bihar to become a police state and demanded action against the responsible police officers.