No party has been serious about real interests of SCs, STs, OBCs, Muslims: Mayawati on women’s reservation

New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief, Mayawati, on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Congress, Samajwadi Party (SP) and other political parties over their stand on constitutional and reservation-related issues, while also commenting on the women’s reservation and delimitation debate.

In a post on X, Mayawati said the Congress has historically failed to ensure constitutional and legal rights of SC, ST and OBC communities, accusing it of not taking initiatives to implement reservation quotas in any sector during its tenure in power.

She wrote, “In the matter of constitutional/legal rights, etc., of the country’s SC, ST, and OBC communities, the Congress, which changes its colour like a chameleon, is the same party that, now talking about these categories in women’s reservation, never took any initiative during its central government to fulfill their reservation quotas in any sector.”

She further alleged that the 27 per cent OBC reservation recommended by the Mandal Commission was not implemented by the Congress and was later enforced during the government of former Prime Minister V.P. Singh, which she credited to efforts by the BSP.

Mayawati also targeted the SP over its approach to backward Muslim reservation in Uttar Pradesh, claiming earlier reports were not implemented under its rule but were later acted upon by the BSP government in 1995.

In another part of her post, she said both SP and Congress change their stance depending on whether they are in power or not, and cautioned communities against being misled. “Therefore, all these communities must always remain cautious of such deceptive and double-faced parties,” she said.

On the issue of women’s reservation and delimitation, she noted that if implementation is to be done quickly, it would have to be based on the 2011 Census, adding that even Congress, if in power today, would likely have taken a similar step.

She also said, “In sum, the purport of saying this is that no party in the country has been serious about the real interests, welfare, and shaping the future, etc., of the SC, ST, OBC, and Muslim communities in any matter.”

On women’s reservation, she added, “Therefore, in the matter of women’s reservation, whatever these categories are getting now, they should accept it for the time being, and in this matter, when a better time comes ahead, proper attention will be paid to their interests — meaning, they should not fall for anyone’s inducements because they themselves have to stand on their own feet and make their society self-reliant and strong. This is the advice.”

Meanwhile, in Parliament, three key Bills — The Constitution (One Hundred and Thirty-First Amendment) Bill, 2026, The Delimitation Bill, 2026, and The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 — are currently under consideration in a special session. Voting on the Bills is scheduled for Friday at 4 P.M. in the Lok Sabha, following extended discussions in the House.

IANS