Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national president and prominent Dalit leader Mayawati issued a strong statement on Friday, urging Dalits and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) not to place their trust in either the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the Congress regarding the issue of caste-based census.
She warned that trusting these two major national parties on such a critical matter would be a costly mistake for marginalized communities, as their past actions reveal a pattern of neglect and betrayal.
Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Mayawati criticized both the BJP and Congress for trying to claim credit for the government’s decision to include caste enumeration in the upcoming national census.
She accused both parties of engaging in political opportunism, alleging that they were now portraying themselves as protectors of the rights of backward communities, particularly the OBCs.
However, she asserted that their historical record paints a very different picture—one that reflects oppression, exclusion, and deliberate marginalization of Bahujan communities, which include Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and OBCs.
According to Mayawati, had the BJP or Congress genuinely been committed to the upliftment and empowerment of backward communities, then these sections of society would have already enjoyed fair and equitable representation in development, education, employment, and governance.
She pointed out that despite being in power for decades, both at the Centre and in several states, neither party had shown the political will or sincerity required to implement policies that ensure social justice and proportional benefits for these communities.
Mayawati alleged that the announcement to include caste-based data in the upcoming census came only after a prolonged delay and significant reluctance from the ruling establishment.
She emphasized that such decisions, which have far-reaching implications for social equity, should not be treated as tools of political gain or populist rhetoric. Instead, they should be grounded in the genuine intent of creating a more just and inclusive society.
In her post, Mayawati reaffirmed the BSP’s ideological commitment to the vision of social reformer and constitutional architect Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
She stated that had the spirit and mission of self-respect, equality, and dignity initiated by Babasaheb Ambedkar been sincerely pursued by those in power, the current socio-economic conditions of the Bahujan communities would have been vastly different. In that case, the marginalized sections of Indian society would not have had to fight for their basic rights even today.
Mayawati concluded her remarks by calling on the Dalit and OBC communities to remain vigilant and politically conscious. She urged them to see through the false promises and manipulative strategies of the BJP and Congress, and instead support the BSP, which she claimed is the only party truly working in the interest of the Bahujan Samaj.
Her comments come at a time when the caste census has once again become a prominent issue in national political discourse, with increasing demands from various quarters for updated and accurate data on the caste composition of India’s population, which many argue is essential for the effective formulation of affirmative action policies.
