Cong, SP change colours like a chameleon on welfare issues of reserved categories: Maya

Lucknow: BSP chief Mayawati on Friday accused the Congress and Samajwadi Party of double standards on matters related to the welfare of SC/STs, OBCs and Muslims and said the two parties should accept the proposals of the Women’s Reservation Bill for these communities. The interests of these communities can further be taken care of in future, she added.She also supported govt move to base the delimitation exercise on the 2011 Census.In a lengthy post on X, Mayawati accused the Congress and SP of changing colours like a chameleon. “It (Congress) is the same party that is now talking about these categories in women’s reservation but it never took any initiative during its govts to fulfil their reservation quotas in any sector. Nor did it implement the 27% reservation for OBCs in govt jobs and education as per the Mandal Commission report,” she said.In UP, the then SP govt had shelved the report of the Backward Classes Commission that came in July 1994 which was then immediately implemented by the first BSP govt in June 1995, she added.he delimitation of constituencies will be done to increase the number of seats in Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Thirty-three percent of these total seats will be reserved for women.Mayawati’s reaction was in response to Congress and SP questioning the intent of Modi govt behind the move, and asking the number of women from SC, ST, OBC and Muslim communities will get.Her reaction came a day after SP and Congress questioned BJP’s intent behind reserving 33% seats in Parliament and state assemblies for women after increasing the number of seats through delimitation of constituencies based on the 2011 Census.“Only if delimitation has to be implemented quickly then it has to be done on the basis of 2011 Census. If it was the Congress in govtat present, it would have done the same as BJP,” said the former CM.She added that no party in the country has been serious about the interests and welfare of reserved and Muslim communities, and that people need to be cautious of them. These communities should not get misled by anyone because they have to be on their own feet to make their society self-reliant and strong, she said.The BSP chief has welcomed the Women’s Reservation Bill but has demanded separate chunks for the reserved category.To which Mayawati reacted on Friday, and reiterated that Congress, SP and others should accept whatever the current bill is offering to the women from these communities. “In future, when it is an opportune time, the interests of these communities will further be taken care of. Also,process to get the women’s reservation bill passed was being taken forward by the BJP govt, despite it being “delayed”, but also said that there was a need to rise above party-based politics to support it, “as it was always better to get something at least than nothing at all”.On Friday, she said that Congress, when it comes to the matters of legal and constitutional rights of SCs, STs, OBCs and Muslims, acts like a “chameleon”, and so does SP, because they act differently when in power, and out of it.“Congress never took any initiative when it was in power at the Centre to fulfil women reservation quotas in any sector. Nor did it implement the 27% reservation for the OBC community in govt jobs and education as was the recommendation of the Mandal Commission report. It was eventually implemented in the govt of former Prime Minister VP Singh and through the efforts of the BSP, which is well known.”While criticising SP, she said that their govt in UP had shelved the report of the backward class commission in July 1994, which recommended providing OBC benefits to backward Muslims in the state. “It was the BSP govt which implemented it on June 3, 1995. Now, the same SP, changing its colour for political interests, is talking about giving separate reservation to their women.”