SC/ST creamy layer issue: Mayawati demands constitutional amendment bill

The Constitution Amendment Bill should be brought in the current session of Parliament, said the BSP chief

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Friday welcomed the assurance given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the SC/ST MPs of the BJP that their demands of not implementing creamy layer in SC/ST category and not making any sub-classification in SC-ST reservation will be considered.

BSP chief Mayawati made the demand on a social media post. (HT file)

In a post on social media platform X, she said, “The Constitution Amendment Bill should be brought in the current session of Parliament. Unless the Supreme Court’s decision of 1 August 2024 is nullified through constitutional amendment, the state governments may use this decision as part of their politics to implement sub-classification and creamy layer of SC/ST class.”

“But it would have been better had the Attorney General on behalf of the Central Government had not presented arguments in favour of applying creamy layer among SCs and STs and their sub-classification in the matter of reservation in the debate before the Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court. Then perhaps this decision would not have come,” Mayawati added.

BSP meet on bypolls on Aug 11

A meeting of BSP leaders and office-bearers will be held on August 11 at the party state unit office under BSP chief Mayawati to discuss the strategy for the byelection to 10 assembly constituencies in the state.

In a meeting held in mid-June, Mayawati had directed party leaders to start preparations for the byelection. The BSP chief will collect feedback about the bypoll preparation from party’s sector coordinators and district presidents.