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Maya demands caste survey in both U.P, India, says Bihar survey a ‘logical step’
With this Mayawati joined the wider opposition in demanding caste survey, an issue which has united nearly all opposition, including some OBC parties which are BJP’s allies in U.P.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday demanded the BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh too should carry out a caste-based survey, similar to one done by Bihar’s Nitish Kumar government.
Maya praised Nitish for taking a “logical step” in ensuring the constitutional rights of other backward classes (OBCs).
With this Mayawati joined the wider opposition in demanding caste survey, an issue which has united nearly all opposition, including some OBC parties which are BJP’s allies in U.P.
These OBC parties were founded by leaders who were mentored by BSP founder late Kanshiram and Maya and them being on same page on caste census indicates that the issue has united not just ‘most backwards but most dalits’ too.
“Now, the UP government should correct its intent and policy and order a caste-based survey without further delay. Though the ‘right solution’ to this would only happen when the Centre would order a nationwide caste count and ensure what is rightfully due to these marginalised castes,” Maya said in her post on X (formerly twitter).
She said the BSP was “happy” at the way country’s politics was moving in favour of the ‘Bahujan Samaj’ and took potshots at casteist and communal’ parties with anti-OBC and anti-Mandal stance.
“Such parties seem to be worried about their future,” Maya said in her post. Though she didn’t mention any party, her jibe appeared to be directed at the BJP, perhaps the only mainstream political party, undecided, if not outrightly against it, on the issue of caste-based survey.
Mayawati’s backing of the caste-based survey came a day after three OBC parties, whose founders were mentored by BSP founder late Kanshiram unanimously backed caste-survey in Uttar Pradesh.
Apna Dal (S) founder late Sonelal Patel was among BSP’s founding members, SBSP’s Om Prakash Rajbhar joined the Dalit Shoshit Samaj Sangharsh Samiti, founded by Kanshiram in 1981 and Nishad party’s Sanjay Nishad started with Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation, run by Kanshiram.
The coming together of these parties in U.P. indicates that the caste-based survey issue is uniting the opposition on the subject, which could well become a political hot potato for the BJP. Bihar’s caste-based survey findings reflect that extremely backward classes or EBCs and OBCs make up for 63% of the total population in a state that sends 40 MPs to the Lok Sabha.
