Mayawati Criticizes Jat Community’s Casteism in Haryana Elections
In a recent press conference in New Delhi, BSP chief Mayawati expressed her concerns over the casteist tendencies of Haryana’s Jat community, which she believes contributed to her party’s poor performance in the state assembly elections. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) alliance struggled to gain votes from the Jat community, except in a few areas, due to their entrenched casteist mindset.
Mayawati highlighted that Haryana, being an agriculture-oriented state, has a significant Jat population unhappy with the anti-farmer policies of the State and Centre. This dissatisfaction led the majority of Jat votes to favor the Congress party, leaving the BSP-INLD alliance with minimal support from this community.
She also attributed the BJP’s success to the internal conflicts within the Chautala family, which resulted in Jat votes being redirected to the BJP. Additionally, votes from the non-Jat community also shifted towards the BJP amid this infighting, allowing them to secure power once again.
Mayawati expressed disappointment over the election’s division between Jat and Non-Jat communities, which negatively impacted her party’s prospects. She noted that while the casteist mindset of the Jat community in Uttar Pradesh has evolved, it remains unchanged in Haryana, particularly towards Dalits.
On the death anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram, Mayawati emphasized the importance of educating the younger generation about his inspiration from Babasaheb Ambedkar and his dedication to completing Ambedkar’s unfinished works.
According to the Election Commission, the BJP won 48 out of 90 seats in the Haryana assembly, while Congress secured 37 seats. Independents won 3 seats, and INLD managed to win 2 seats.
Doubts Revealed
Mayawati -: Mayawati is a prominent Indian politician and the leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which focuses on representing the interests of marginalized communities in India.
Jat Community -: The Jat community is a large ethnic group in India, primarily found in the states of Haryana, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh. They are traditionally farmers and have significant political influence in these regions.
Casteism -: Casteism refers to discrimination or prejudice based on a person’s caste, which is a traditional social hierarchy in India. It can affect people’s opportunities and treatment in society.
Haryana Elections -: Haryana elections refer to the state-level elections held in Haryana, a state in northern India, to choose representatives for the state’s legislative assembly.
BSP-INLD Alliance -: The BSP-INLD alliance was a political partnership between the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) to contest elections together in Haryana.
Congress -: Congress, or the Indian National Congress, is one of the major political parties in India. It has a long history and has been in power at both the national and state levels multiple times.
Anti-farmer policies -: Anti-farmer policies refer to government actions or laws that are perceived to harm the interests of farmers, such as reducing subsidies or not providing enough support for agricultural activities.
BJP -: BJP, or Bharatiya Janata Party, is another major political party in India. It is known for its nationalist policies and has been in power at the national level and in several states.
Chautala family -: The Chautala family is a prominent political family in Haryana, associated with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). They have been influential in the state’s politics for many years.
Jat and Non-Jat communities -: Jat and Non-Jat communities refer to the division between the Jat ethnic group and other communities in Haryana. This division can influence voting patterns and political dynamics in the state.