Reservation issue: BJP has adopted anti-SC/ST stance, INDIA bloc silent on issue, alleges Mayawati

Lucknow, Aug 23 (PTI) BSP chief Mayawati on Friday attacked the BJP and the INDIA bloc, alleging that while the ruling party has adopted an anti-SC/ST stance over the issue of sub-classification and identifying creamy layer for reservation within the communities, the opposition coalition’s silence on the matter is proving to be “fatal”.

Earlier this month, a seven-judge bench of the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud ruled in a 6:1 majority judgement that state governments were permitted to sub-classify communities within the SC list based on empirical data.

Supreme Court judge Justice B R Gavai had also said states must evolve a policy for identifying the creamy layer, even among the Scheduled Castes (SC) and Schedule Tribes (ST), and deny it the benefit of reservation.

In posts on X in Hindi, BSahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati said, “It is very sad and worrying that the (BJP-led) Centre has not yet taken any concrete steps to restore the old system as per public expectations against the Supreme Court’s decision of August 1, 2024, to implement the new rule of classification and creamy layer in SC/ST reservation.”

Claiming that the Centre was not serious about the issue, she said, “First the weak advocacy in the court, and now, the failure to bring the Constitution Amendment Bill for it proves that the BJP’s anti-SC/ST reservation attitude is still intact with the same intensity.”

Accusing the opposition parties, particularly the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP), Mayawati said, “The silence of the Congress, SP and their INDIA bloc in this matter is equally fatal. It shows their interest in the welfare and upliftment of SCs and STs, she said.

The interest of these SCs and STs is safe only in the Ambedkarite BSP, Mayawati asserted.

On August 21, a one-day nationwide strike was called by some Dalit and tribal groups against the Supreme Court’s decisions.

The strike call, however, had little impact on normal life in Uttar Pradesh as shops remained open and business went on as usual in large parts of the state amid tight security arrangements.