Mayawati tells BSP leaders not to hold protests on women’s reservation

Reiterating her support for the Women’s Reservation Bill, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national president Mayawati on Wednesday directed party leaders and workers not to be misled on the issue and not to organise dharnas (sit-ins) or demonstrations on it.

In a post on X, the BSP chief asked the party workers to work in accordance with party discipline.

Earlier, at a press conference on April 15, Mayawati had extended support to the Women’s Reservation Bill that mandates a 33% quota for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Demanding a sub-quota for women from the SC, ST and OBC communities, she had stated that the women’s reservation should be implemented as soon as possible, keeping it away from narrow party politics.

In her post on Wednesday, Mayawati said the party’s stand on supporting women’s reservation remains the same as on April 15 and party office bearers must make this clear to the workers in organisational meetings.

Mayawati told district presidents, office bearers and workers that she is visiting Delhi for party work and will return to Lucknow soon after completing it.

Party leaders should implement the directions she gave in the state-level meeting in Lucknow on March 31for preparing the party organisation and strengthening the party’s mass base as well as financial resources through cadre camps, she said. The party leaders should start preparing for the upcoming legislative assembly general elections, she said.

Party leaders should highlight development projects and welfare schemes launched under the four terms of the BSP government, she said.

The plans and outlines for all expressways built in UP as well as the airport in Noida and other public projects were prepared during the BSP government, she claimed. All the projects would have been completed to a great extent under the BSP government had the Congress government at the Center at that time not created obstacles due to its casteist mentality toward the BSP, she said.

“The proper development of UP, the progress and advancement of all sections of the society, as well as better law and order, are possible under the BSP government’s ‘rule of law by law’ mantra with the “bahujan hitay, bahujan sukhay” governance model,” she said.