Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday opposed demands by some groups to introduce reservation on economic grounds, saying such a move runs contrary to Constitution’s provisions for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) and is “in no way appropriate or in the interest of the nation.”In a post on X, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister cautioned against any step on reservation that could weaken constitutional measures aimed at building an egalitarian society. Referring to Dr B R Ambedkar’s views on social justice, Mayawati cited his remark that “abandoning casteism is the greatest patriotism,” and urged people to demonstrate what she called true patriotism in that spirit.Mayawati argued that govts already allocate substantial funds annually to poverty alleviation and welfare schemes, and said the failure of intended beneficiaries to receive gains should be attributed to systemic flaws such as corruption and administrative shortcomings. She maintained that economic hardship should be addressed through effective delivery of existing programmes rather than by altering the basis of constitutionally mandated quotas.The BSP chief also alleged that reservation benefits for SC, ST and OBC communities have not been properly implemented, contending that despite decades since Independence, members of these communities continue to face poverty, caste discrimination, exploitation and atrocities.She urged govts not to “provide any shelter or protection” to what she termed anti-reservation elements, calling such a stance essential in the broader national interest. Mayawati also appealed to the public to avoid what she described as “cheap politics” on the sensitive issue of reservation.In a separate attack, Mayawati questioned Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi’s decision to stage a prolonged dharna outside Parliament police station, while not going to Jantar Mantar nearby to engage with protesters demanding an end to caste-based reservation. She said this “clearly reveals” an anti-reservation mindset.
