Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh government has recommended inclusion of 17 backward castes in the Scheduled Caste list, sparking allegations that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav is playing the caste card ahead of Assembly elections.
While the ball is now in the Centre's court, whether it accepts or rejects state's proposal, it will not be easy for the BJP to take a clear strong position on the issue.
The party is now a fix as to how both target the SP while not antagonising the beneficiary backward castes.
The unexpected caste card has come at the time When the UP CM had been making a strong development pitch. From inaugurating the Agra-Lucknow Expressway to Lucknow Metro and ribbon cutting for more than 900 development projects in a single day, Akhilesh had many political observers believing that he is solely keen on making the development narrative his poll agenda.
But now a strong pitch for caste has brought the focus back on caste realities in run-up to assembly polls.
As per the move, 17 backward castes including Kahar, Kashyap, Kewat, Mallah, Nishad, Kumhar, Prajapati, Rajbhar and some others have been recommended for Scheduled Caste status. In a state where backward castes account for nearly 21 percent of the total population, this has put other political players in a bind.
The SP has called the move as a serious effort for social justice. Party spokesperson Juhi Singh said, “Our government is giving these castes their due rights. Over the years these Most Backward castes (MBC) have lived in economic and social conditions equivalent to that of the scheduled Castes. It's now on Centre to do justice with them.”
It's this factual position which puts BJP in a fix. It's the central government which has to either accept or reject the state government's proposal. The party is therefore keen to side step the question over its stated position on demand for SC status to MBCs. State general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said, “UP government's move has come without proper consultation and is purely with political calculations. SP is trying to play the caste card before assembly elections.”
BSP chief Mayawati too has been quick to jump into the debate. In a statement issued to the media, she accused SP of political opportunism. “It's an old ploy of the Samajwadi party. Why the move now when similar proposals have already been struck down in 2005 and also in 2012,” she said.
While political parties have been forced to take a stand on the sensitive issue, the move has exposed the caste realities of UP's politics.
The biggest stake holder at the moment seems to be the BJP and the SP. These two are the biggest contender for the backward class vote in this election. While SP is desperate to consolidate its Muslim-backward caste consolidation, BJP is strongly banking on a combination of upper castes and backward castes votes.
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