Disputes Between Centre and States for Political Gains Harm Public Interest, Says Mayawati
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Saturday voiced concern over the growing tensions between the central government and various states on sensitive national issues such as the delimitation exercise, the new education policy (NEP), and language-related policies.
She warned that when such matters are handled with a focus on political advantage rather than public welfare, both the people and the country inevitably suffer the consequences.
Taking to social media, Mayawati shared her thoughts through a post on X (formerly Twitter) in Hindi. In her statement, she highlighted that it is “natural” for the interests of the common people and the nation to be adversely affected when contentious issues such as the upcoming census, the redistribution of Lok Sabha seats based on the census, the implementation of the National Education Policy, and the perceived imposition of certain languages are used as political tools by either the Centre or state governments.
She stressed the importance of genuine cooperative federalism, arguing that good governance must be guided by constitutional principles and should ensure equal growth and development across all regions of the country.
According to her, true leadership is reflected in a government’s ability to rise above political rivalries and work in unity with all states for the collective progress of India.
Mayawati also drew special attention to the challenges faced by underprivileged children studying in government schools.
She emphasized that the focus of policymakers should not be on imposing linguistic or cultural agendas, but rather on creating pathways for the social and economic empowerment of marginalized communities, especially Dalits, tribals, backward classes, and the poor.
She questioned how children from these disadvantaged backgrounds, who often lack access to private education and English-language instruction, could compete in modern fields such as information technology and skilled trades without strong support systems.
Highlighting the need for a more inclusive and thoughtful approach, Mayawati asserted that fostering hatred toward any language is both unhelpful and unjustified, and that language should never be used as a divisive tool in politics or governance.
Her remarks come at a time when disputes between the Centre and several state governments have intensified, particularly around the impending delimitation process scheduled for next year.
The delimitation, which is intended to redraw the boundaries of parliamentary constituencies based on the latest census, has sparked unease in southern states.
Many regional leaders fear the exercise could dilute the political representation of their states in the Lok Sabha due to population shifts, disproportionately favoring states in the north.
Apart from the delimitation issue, another major point of contention has been the National Education Policy (NEP) introduced by the central government.
States like Tamil Nadu have openly resisted the policy, arguing that it undermines regional autonomy, especially in areas concerning curriculum and language instruction.
One of the sharpest disagreements is over the alleged “imposition of Hindi” as part of the education framework — an issue that has long been politically and culturally sensitive in Tamil Nadu and other southern states.
The controversy surrounding language policy has also reached Maharashtra, where the state’s BJP-led government recently announced a new rule requiring all Marathi and English-medium schools to introduce Hindi as a mandatory third language for students from Classes 1 to 5.
The decision marked a shift from the previous practice, where students typically studied only two languages in their early schooling years.
This move has triggered protests from opposition parties, who have criticized the policy as an attack on regional identity and an attempt to erode the status of Marathi.
Mayawati’s comments reflect a broader concern over the growing perception that the central government is using institutional policies — from census and delimitation to education reforms and language mandates — as instruments of political control, often at the expense of regional voices and social equity.
In conclusion, the BSP chief urged both the Centre and the states to work together in the spirit of the Constitution, prioritizing unity, social justice, and the welfare of all citizens rather than engaging in power struggles driven by short-term political interests.
