Maya seeks quota for upper castes

BSP leader Mayawati on Monday indicated at a wide-ranging social alliance in the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and demanded reservation for most of the sections of society, including upper castes.

Participating in “Commitment to Constitution” debate in the Rajya Sabha, she wanted reservation for weaker sections in private sector jobs, inclusion of new castes in SC and ST categories with an increase in reservation quota, reservation to Dalits who have converted to Christianity and Islam and reservation for poor among upper castes.

On intolerance
She attacked the BJP for “destroying communal harmony” and accused the prime minister of not acting against his ministers and MPs who give controversial statements and are “putting their entire strength” in creating “disharmony”.

She said that the BJP forced her to resign from the post of chief minister of Uttar Pradesh when she refused to allow it to carry on its “agenda of Hindutva” in 2003.

In order not to lose any point in the war for legacy over B R Ambedkar, the BSP leader accused both the BJP and Congress of ignoring ideals of the icon.

She said the Congress did not support Ambedkar’s entry into the Constituent Assembly and he gained entry from a seat in Bengal.

She also accused the Congress of defeating him in the Lok Sabha elections.

She demanded dismissal of General (Rtd) V K Singh for his statement on the Faridabad incident in which a child was burnt to death when a house of a Dalit was torched by upper caste goons. She also demanded Centre’s intervention in the case of transfer of Dalit IPS officer of Haryana.