Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Poor among upper castes must get quota: Mayawati

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and president of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Mayawati has demanded that the Centre get the Constitution amended to extend reservation for the poor sections in the upper castes.

Addressing a ‘brotherhood conference’ organised by her party’s State unit here on Monday, Ms. Mayawati said that her party would bring in such an amendment if voted to power at the Centre.

She said her government had written to the Centre to press for this demand on several occasions. But no initiative was taken.

Strongly refuting charges that the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) was a caste-based party, Ms. Mayawati said: “We are not against the upper castes. We are for ensuring justice to all sections in society. Our vision is to create a society where all castes are treated equally.”

She said the BSP was for reservation to the Dalits and backward sections, minorities and the poor people in the upper castes in the private sector.

The BSP government in Uttar Pradesh had issued directions for a 10 per cent quota each for Dalits and Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Castes, minorities and the poor from the upper castes in government institutions which were being privatised.

She said her party was keen to extend reservation to those sections among the Dalits and backward castes who were being denied the benefits now. Ms. Mayawati supported the demand for providing 10 per cent reservation to Dalit Christians. She said she had written to the Centre in that connection.

She said political formations which had come to power at the Centre and the States so far were relying on the upper-strata in society for their ascent to power. So, they were keen only to serve the interests of the upper strata, pushing the poorer sections into deeper levels of deprivation.

The BSP was relying on the resources provided by the poorer sections for its political and organisation works. This would enable the party to stay focussed on the uplift of the poorer sections.

BSP national secretary Satishchandra Misra and its State leaders Neelalohithadasan Nadar and Saji K. Cheran spoke.

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