Mayawati Recounts 1977 Struggle for SC/ST Representation

By A Staff Reporter

During a recent address, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati shared a personal recollection from 1977, a pivotal year in Indian politics when the Janta Party came to power. She reflected on her days as a first-year law student at Delhi University and the political landscape concerning the representation of Dalits, Scheduled Castes (SC), and Scheduled Tribes (ST) during that period.

Mayawati recounted that, despite promises, neither Congress nor the Janta Party made Jagjivan Ram, a prominent Dalit leader, the Prime Minister, which sparked anger and disappointment among the SC/ST communities across the country. In response to the rising unrest, a 3-day "Jati Todo Sammelan" (Break Caste Conference) was organized in Delhi.

Invited to speak at the conference, Mayawati recalled her strong objection to the continued use of the term "Harijan" by Janta Party leaders at the event. She questioned the leaders, pointing out the contradiction in advocating for breaking caste barriers while still using caste-related terminology. She argued that the term "Harijan" implied a division, stating, "If we are children of God, then are the rest children of the devil?"

Mayawati noted that the leaders apologized and agreed that using SC, ST, and OBC as outlined in the Constitution was more appropriate. This moment, according to Mayawati, underscored the importance of proper representation and respectful language in addressing caste-related issues.