BSP president Mayawati opposes ‘creamy layer’ idea for SCs, STs, hits out at RSS

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Sunday opposed the ‘creamy layer’ concept in reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), arguing that affirmative action was linked to their social transformation, economic emancipation and self-respect and criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for politicising the issue.

“Reservation for the SC, ST and OBC sections of the country’s ‘Bahujan Samaj’, especially for the SC, ST and OBC sections, is a crucial and extremely sensitive issue related to ‘social change and economic liberation’, i.e., their self-respect. For the SC and ST sections, who have been divided, oppressed and marginalised for centuries on the basis of caste, it becomes a crucial issue, especially when caste-based hatred, exploitation, torture, injustice and atrocities show no signs of abating. Therefore, talking about the creamy layer in this regard is not only inappropriate but also against the sacred objectives of the humanitarian Constitution of the revered Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. However, no one should ignore this, but everyone must implement it with complete honesty and integrity in the interest of the country and the people,” wrote Ms. Mayawati, on X.

The BSP president questioned the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat over his recent remarks that reservation had been deliberately politicised, creating bitterness in society, and that beneficiaries should voluntarily give up the benefits. Ms. Mayawati described the RSS’s position a reflection of a “casteist mindset”, adding it might serve narrow political interests but would undermine constitutional objectives.

“While the RSS chief recently reiterated his statement that, ‘Reservation has been deliberately politicised, leading to bitterness in society, and that beneficiaries of reservation should voluntarily give up its benefits.’ In reality, this is a casteist mindset that may serve narrow political interests, but undermines constitutional objectives. Reservation is essentially meant to provide the constitutional and legal right to equality on humanitarian grounds to millions of exploited, oppressed, neglected, and despised people who have been victims of the caste system for centuries. This cannot be measured by economic progress at all. Because the sting of casteism continues to bite them in every aspect of life, and this trend continues at every level. Who knows this better than the RSS?,” she wrote on X, questioning RSS stand.