Mayawati writes to PM, demands for upper caste quota
Ashish TripathiAshish Tripathi, TNN | Sep 18, 2011, 05.45PM IST
After Muslims, UP chief minister and BSP supremo Mayawati has demanded reservations in government jobs and educational institutes for poor upper castes on financial grounds.
LUCKNOW: After Muslims, UP chief minister and BSP supremo Mayawati has demanded reservations in government jobs and educational institutes for poor upper castes on financial grounds.
She wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard on Sunday. Mayawati has requested prime minister to put the provision of reservation on financial grounds in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution so that it cannot be challenged in any court of law.
She said that reservation is necessary to help masses living below poverty line, irrespective of their caste and class, join national mainstream and contribute in country's development.
Significantly, Mayawati had written a similar letter to prime minister on Saturday asking for constitutional amendment to provide quota to Muslims. For this, she was criticised by the BJP and Congress from trying to appease muslims.
While BJP said that Maya's demand will strengthen divisive forces in the country, Congress had accused her of doing nothing for the welfare of Muslims.
The letter shot off on Sunday is being seen as Mayawati's attempt to strike balance in her 'Sarvjan vote bank', which comprises dalits, muslims, brahmins and most backward classes.
Mayawati, in her letter, has also written that she is reiterating the demand of quota for upper castes on financial grounds.
The CM had raised the issue earlier in 2007 soon after coming to power in UP. It might be mentioned here that Maya had successfully wooed a section of brahmins in 2007 assembly election by demanding 10% quota for upper castes on financial grounds. In 2009 Lok Sabha elections, she had promised to implement upper caste quota if voted to power.
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