‘Brahmins need respect’: On her 70th birthday, BSP chief Mayawati launches an upper caste outreach

Mayawati added that her party, over the past several elections, has ensured the appropriate participation of Brahmins, like other communities, in ticket distribution and government representation, and has never allowed any injustice or atrocity against them. “Considering that, the Brahmin community in the state should not get misled by the BJP, the Congress and the SP,” Mayawati said.

As SP president Akhilesh Yadav recently organised a ‘baati-chokha’ feast for workers of all communities, Mayawati said the Brahmin community does not need ‘baati-chokha’ from anyone, and they were not going be scared of threats from anybody.

“They (Brahmins) need respect and regard at every level, appropriate representation and resources of livelihood. And there should not be any atrocity or excess against them. Their wishes have been fulfilled only in BSP governments so far, and these wishes will be fulfilled again after the formation of the BSP government,” Mayawati said.

She added that a BSP government will also protect the interests, welfare, and safety of the Kshatriya, Vaishya (both upper castes), and Jats (OBC) communities.

Mayawati targets SP rule

Mayawati criticised the SP, which is currently running a ‘PDA’ campaign focused on Pichhra (Backward Classes), Dalit (Scheduled Castes) and Alpasankhyak (minorities, especially Muslims). She said that during the SP regime, hooligans, mafias, and corrupt individuals ruled Uttar Pradesh. According to her, all communities, except for the SP’s own Yadav community, faced harassment, with Dalits being the most severely affected.

Mayawati referenced the notorious guest house incident that took place in June 1995, saying that the SP’s goons attempted an attack on her at a guest house in Lucknow after the BSP decided to withdraw its support from the SP-BSP alliance government.

She said that during the SP rule, people from the Yadav community benefited the most from the reservations intended for OBCs. “BSP governments did not discriminate against any community or religion and ensured the interests of the Yadav community were taken into account, and we will continue to do so in the future,” Mayawati said.

Mayawati also criticised the current BJP government, stating that Dalits and other marginalised groups are deeply disappointed and upset, and that law and order in the state has deteriorated just like it did under SP governments.

She said that her party will contest all elections nationwide, including the 2027 UP Assembly polls, independently and will not form alliances with any other party, and will not enter into any kind of alliance with any party.

Maywat said that in the future, if the party becomes fully convinced that an alliance partner can successfully transfer votes, especially from upper castes, to the BSP, they might consider contesting elections as a coalition. However, she said that this situation is likely to take years to develop.

The BSP chief expressed concerns about electronic voting machines (EVMs), claiming that manipulation and dishonesty ensued in previous elections. However, she stated that her party would continue to contest elections across the country with full strength.