Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. (Express file photo by Vishal Srivastav)
CHIEF MINISTER Yogi Adityanath on Thursday told the Uttar Pradesh Assembly that if needed, his government will consider quota for “ati-pichhde” (most backward castes) and “ati-Dalit” (most backward Dalits).
The move is being seen as an attempt by the government to woo the most backward castes and Dalits before the Lok Sabha polls next year, especially after these groups were found shifting their votes to the SP and BSP in the recent Lok Sabha bypolls in UP.
“Agar avashyakta padi to ati pichhde, ati-Daliton ko aarakshan par vichar karenge…,” he said, adding that a committee is being set up in this regard. He was speaking during the debate on the Budget in the Assembly.
Alleging that previous government had not done anything for these castes, Adityanath said: “Azadi ke bad se vikas ke naam par istemal kiya gaya… shoshit kiya gaya (Since Independence, they have been used and exploited).” His government was committed to provide benefits of these castes, which have been neglected by the previous governments, he claimed.
Adityanath cited a 2015 incident, when a student, was allegedly killed by the police while he was protesting in Gorakhpur seeking reservation. “They talk of Eklavya’s thumb. They should answer, as they got a young boy, Akhilesh Nishad, killed in Gorakhpur during their regime,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Nishads had unitedly voted in favour of the SP candidate — supported by BSP — in the Gorakhpur bypolls.
Later in the day, the Congress questioned the government’s intention. “In a written reply to my question today about bringing sub-castes like Kashyap, Nishad, Bind and Manjhi… among others… under the Scheduled Castes list, the government said that the question does not arise, citing that the matter is pending in court,” Congress Legislative Party Leader Ajai Kumar Lallu told The Indian Express.
Meanwhile, at the Assembly, alleging corruption in the UPSC examination during the previous SP regime, Adityanath said that while a probe is on, those found guilty would not only be sent to jail but the government would also attach their properties.
Adityanath also described as “lies” the Opposition’s allegations that his government had not only failed to utilise a large part of its 2017 Budget, but also reduced allocations for respective departments this year. “…In fact, compared to the previous year, the government’s expenditure has increased by 14 per cent… with first Budget being tabled in July (2017), his government had just eight to nine months to implement it…,” he said.
Meanwhile, during Question Hour, the entire opposition, including SP, BSP and Congress staged a walkout alleging that the government was not serious about problems faced by farmers.