Tezzbuzz Desk- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Mayawati has given a strong reaction to the ongoing protest against reservation at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. He termed the demand for reservation on economic basis as unfair and said that it can harm the creation of an egalitarian society and constitutional system in the country.
In a post released on social media, Mayawati said that the reservation given in the Constitution to SC, ST and OBC communities is necessary due to centuries of caste inequality and discrimination. He said that the reservation system for these classes is in the national interest and the demand to abolish or weaken it is not appropriate.
Referring to the thoughts of Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, he said that renouncing casteism is the greatest patriotism. Mayawati appealed to the protesters not to make any demands or activities on the issue of reservation, which would hurt the constitutional efforts of social equality.
On the demand for reservation on economic basis, Mayawati said that the central and state governments are already running many schemes to remove poverty. According to him, the benefits of these schemes do not reach the needy completely due to corruption and shortcomings in the government system. He said that the system of reservation on economic basis is also implemented in the country, but its expected benefits are not reaching the poor upper caste families.
Mayawati alleged that due to corruption and casteism present in the government system, SC, ST and OBC communities are still facing poverty, discrimination and exploitation. He appealed to the Central and State Governments not to give protection to anti-reservation elements.
Mayawati also targeted Rahul Gandhi. He said that on the same day when the protest against reservation was taking place at Jantar Mantar, Rahul Gandhi was sitting on a dharna outside the Parliament police station in another matter. He raised the question why Rahul Gandhi or any Congress leader did not reach Jantar Mantar to convince the protesters on the issue of reservation. Mayawati raised questions by linking it to Congress's alleged mentality regarding reservation.