Mayawati Endorses Bharat Bandh Against SC Ruling on Reservation Sub-Classification

BSP leader Mayawati backs the Bharat Bandh protesting the Supreme Court's decision to allow sub-classification within Scheduled Castes and Tribes reservations. The apex court's ruling on August 1 empowers states to determine adequate representation of these classes. Demonstrations emphasize the need to protect constitutional reservation rights.

BSP leader Mayawati has voiced her support for the Bharat Bandh conducted on Wednesday in response to the Supreme Court's ruling that permits sub-classification within reservation categories for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). The 'Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti' is spearheading the protest to oppose the judgment.

The Supreme Court, in a landmark decision on August 1, empowered states to sub-classify SCs and STs, stating that adequacy should be based on effective rather than quantitative representation. Mayawati highlighted the anger and resentment among the affected communities against this judgment.

'BSP supports Bharat Bandh because there is anger and resentment against the Supreme Court's decision regarding the sub-classification of SC/ST and creamy layer on 1 August 2024 due to the conspiracy against reservation by parties like BJP and Congress and their collusion to make it ineffective and finally end it,' Mayawati expressed in a post on X.

She further emphasized the necessity of protecting reservation rights accorded to the OBC community along with SCs and STs, attributing these rights to the relentless struggle of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. She urged all political parties to recognize the importance and sensitivity of these rights.

In Jahanabad, Bihar, supporters of Bharat Bandh blocked National Highway 83 in Unta. The Supreme Court's majority judgment of 6:1, delivered by a seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, declared that sub-classification within SC and ST reservations is allowable. This decision overturned a previous ruling in the EV Chinnaiah case.

The bench, which included Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, Bela M Trivedi, Pankaj Mithal, Manoj Misra, and Satish Chandra Sharma, issued six separate opinions. Justice BR Gavai suggested that states develop a policy to identify the creamy layer within SCs and STs to exclude them from affirmative action benefits. In a dissenting opinion, Justice Bela M Trivedi opposed the majority stance on sub-classification.

(With inputs from agencies.)