BSP Supremo Mayawati has lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Speaking on Saturday, she stated: "The very Congress—whose anti-Dalit mindset led to the formation of the BSP, and which failed to declare a period of national mourning upon Kanshi Ram's passing—is now talking about awarding him the Bharat Ratna. Therefore, one must remain vigilant against the Congress."
Notably, on Friday, the Congress party organized an event in Lucknow to mark Kanshi Ram’s birth anniversary—a first for the party. During the event, a resolution was passed demanding that Kanshi Ram be conferred with the Bharat Ratna. It was decided that this demand would be raised in Parliament through Rahul Gandhi.
Speaking at the event, Rahul Gandhi remarked: “Kanshi Ram advocated for equality within society. Had Jawaharlal Nehru been alive today, Kanshi Ram would have served as a Congress Chief Minister. However, the BJP has now divided society into two segments: the ’15 percent’ and the ’85 percent.’ Only the 15 percent are reaping the benefits, while the remaining 50 percent have been marginalized and isolated.”
Key Points Raised by Mayawati…
1. The Congress Never Honored Babasaheb:** Writing on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), Mayawati stated: “It is a well-known fact that the Congress party held power at the Centre for a prolonged period; yet, it never accorded due respect to the ‘Messiah of Dalits’ and the ‘Architect of the Indian Constitution,’ Babasaheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. Nor did it ever confer upon him the Bharat Ratna. Given this history, the pertinent question arises: How can the very same Congress party now propose to award the Bharat Ratna to Kanshi Ram?”
2. Congress Failed to Declare National Mourning Upon Kanshi Ram’s Demise:** The former Chief Minister observed: “Upon Kanshi Ram’s passing, the Congress government failed to declare even a single day of national mourning. At that time, the Samajwadi Party (SP) was in power in Uttar Pradesh, and it, too, failed to declare any state mourning. Similarly, numerous Dalit organizations and political parties—formed under the influence of other political factions—have consistently sought to merely exploit his name for their own political gain.”
3. Parties Employing Tactics to Weaken the BSP: Mayawati stated, “Today, various parties are engaged in weakening the BSP by employing a multitude of tactics. Therefore, our followers and supporters need to remain vigilant.”
4. Need to Be Wary of the Congress Party: The BSP Supremo remarked, “We need to be wary of the Congress party, as it was precisely due to its anti-Dalit mindset that the BSP had to be formed. I appeal to our party workers to ensure the success of the programs organized on March 15, 2026—the birth anniversary of Kanshi Ram—across the entire country, including Uttar Pradesh.”
Mayawati also issued a press release. Here is what she said:
The BSP Supremo stated, “Kanshi Ram carried forward the ideals of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. By organizing the Dalit community, he empowered them politically. Today, the Congress and the SP are invoking Kanshi Ram’s memory solely for their own political gain. This is sheer opportunism.”
“The reality is that casteist thinking and the politics of discrimination persist to this day. The reservation norms established for Dalits and Backward Classes are being diluted. Consequently, the system of exploitation is being further entrenched. In such a scenario, the crucial question remains: how can the Bahujan Samaj place its trust in these parties and their leaders?”
“Therefore, listen to what everyone has to say, but under no circumstances allow your unity—and the power of your vote—to fall into the hands of self-serving leaders. This would be the truest tribute to the struggles of Baba Saheb and Kanshi Ram.”
At JNU, Prof. Vivek Kumar observed that the Congress party remained in power in this country for over 70 years, yet during that entire period, it never once thought of the Dalits. Now that they have been ousted from power, they are merely feigning respect for prominent Dalit icons.
“Why did the Congress never promote a Dalit leader to a prominent position within the party? Why was Dr. Ambedkar compelled to leave the Congress? Ultimately, why did the condition of Dalits fail to improve during their rule? Why did Kanshi Ram find it necessary to form a separate political party specifically for Dalits?”
“Furthermore, in the states where the Congress currently holds power, why are they not appointing Dalits to key, high-ranking administrative positions?” The truth is that, for them, Dalits are merely a vote bank. The Congress party may use Dalits as a stepping stone to ascend to power, but it will never seat them upon the throne of power itself.
**Understanding the Power of Dalit Voters in UP**
Dalits constitute 21% of the electorate in Uttar Pradesh. Out of the state’s 403 Legislative Assembly seats, 84 are reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs). Furthermore, there are 40 to 50 additional seats where Dalits make up between 20% and 30% of the voting population. In essence, Dalits hold a decisive influence over 130 seats across the state.
In the 2022 Assembly elections, the BJP and its allies secured victory in 63 of the 84 reserved seats. In contrast, the Samajwadi Party (SP) achieved success in 20 seats, while one seat went to Raja Bhaiya’s party, the Jansatta Dal Loktantrik.
In Lucknow, Rahul Gandhi spoke for 35 minutes in an effort to woo the Dalit vote. The occasion was the birth anniversary of Kanshi Ram; however, the Modi government was the primary target of Rahul’s address. Speaking before the Dalit audience, Rahul invoked the name of Narendra Modi far more frequently than that of Kanshi Ram. He asserted, “Narendra Modi does not subscribe to the ideology enshrined in the country’s Constitution. Go to Apollo Hospital sometime and look at the doctors’ nameplates; nowhere will you find the 85% [Dalits and Backward Classes] represented. You will not find Dalits or members of Backward Classes among the CEOs of major corporations.”
Courtesy: Hindi News