By
Kumari Mayawati
National President
Bahujan Samaj Party
Brothers and Sisters,
It is well known to every one the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is the only party in the country, which “believes in doing rather than saying“.
It is for this reason that our party, unlike other parties, does not release any tempting “Election Manifestoes” and instead, issues “Appeal” to the people in general and voters in particular to ensure their vote and support for BSP in order to fulfill the remaining commitments for completing its missionary goal by adopting the path shown by Saints, Gurus and Mahapurush (Great men) born in different periods in the Bahujan Samaj like Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Chatrapati Sahu Maharaj, Narayana Guru, Periyar Ramaswamy Ji, Baba Saheb Dr.Ambedkar and more recently Manyawar Shri Kanshi Ram ji.
This we do with an aim to earn good results for the party in the elections and to achieve power to rule so that with the help of the “Master Key of Political Power” we become master of our own destiny and could ensure work and proper welfare of the poor, deprived and downtrodden sections of the society belonging to all castes and religions i.e.”Sarv Samaj”. Param pujya Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar has beautifully and wonderfully explained about the significance of the “Master Key of the Political Power”, declaring that the political power is such a “Master Key” through which all problems can be solved and also doors of progress and prosperity can be opened up.
Following this principle of Babasaheb Dr.Ambedkar, our party is contesting, on its’ own strength, KARNATAKA Legislative Assembly General Elections-2008. The Karnataka Legislative Assembly has a total number of 224 seats and the BSP is contesting on almost all the seats on its own. BSP has not at all entered into any kind of alliance or seat adjustments with any other party in this election. So, we are fighting this election on all seats on our own.
But, the pertinent question which arises here is, as to why there is a necessity for the people of the State of < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = “urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags” />
In this regard, I am of the view that BSP is the only Party in the country whose “Principles & Policies” and also its “style of functioning” suits very much the interests of the people belonging to “Sarv Samaj” (all sections of the society). On the other hand, other political parties make too many promises to people just before the elections or in the election year but they never translate them into reality for the true welfare of them, leaving most of their lofty electoral promises confined to papers only, rather than getting them implemented in practical terms.
It is for this very reason that, even after 60 years of independence, the “Social and Economic” condition of people belonging to Bahujan Samaj, which comprises of Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), Other Backward Class (OBCs) and Religious Minorities such as Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, Parsis and Buddhists have not significantly improved due to faulty economic policies adopted by various governments of castiest leaders of different political parties, even though the population of these sections of society is very large and for this reason , we call them as “Bahujan Samaj”.
Here, I am especially talking about their wrong and erratic economic policies, mainly because at the centre as well as in most of the States, Governments’ were formed with the monetary or otherwise help of big capitalist powers and for this very reason, these parties, after coming to power, as a “return gift” to them formulated their “Economic Policies” in subservience of these capitalists, fully ignoring the interests and welfare of general public.
Due to this kind of unjust behaviour of the governments of Congress, BJP and their supporting parties, the economic condition of people belonging to Bahujan Samaj as well as poor people of “Savarn Samaj” i.e. the upper castes is turning from bad to worse. The malice is still continuing, rendering more and more such people unemployed and live a life under the darkness of poverty.
In view of the complexity and seriousness of such kind of problems, these deprived and exploited sections of the people revolted in such a manner to form a separate political party of their own called as (the Bahujan Samaj Party-BSP) under the leadership of Manyawar Shri Kanshi Ram Ji on April, 1984, basing its ideology on policy and programs of Great Baba sahib Dr. Ambedkar. And quiet obviously, with the massive support and cooperation of all the sections of the society, the BSP has acquired a “National Status” and has grown enough to be officially by the Election Commission of India as one of the main national political parties of
Not only this, our party also gradually expanded its mass base and graduated to send its representatives in Parliament, apart from winning assembly elections in various States of the Country. In Uttar Pradesh, which is the biggest State of India in terms of the size of the population, the BSP under the leader ship of mine had formed government four times. And all the four times, the governments of our party has worked with full devotion and dedication to provide “justice” to all, besides giving impetus and dynamism to the issue of ”Development” in the State.
Giving priority to weaker sections of the society in the process, with an aim to improve “Social and Economic” condition of the underprivileged sections of the society and poor people belonging to Sarv Samaj, our party Government in Uttar Pradesh, for the first time in the country, constituted separate “Welfare” Departments” in 1995 right at the inception of the first BSP government.
And the aspect of development were given new meaning when 25,000 villages, having predominantly Original Inhabitants of Jambudvipa i.e. the Great Prabuddha Bharath (SC/STs) population, were selected for “Dr.Ambedkar Village Development Scheme” to develop them fully with all kind of basic amenities and infrastructure facilities. The process is going on and gradually all the villages of the State will be taken for such kind of developmental activities all over the State, surely changing the very face and of course the life of the rural poor in real terms. Presently, however, the name of this scheme has been changed as “Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar U.P. Gramsabha Samagra Vikas Yojana (Gramsabha Integrated Development Scheme.)”.
Similarly, an ambitious “Urban Integrated Development Scheme” has been formulated in the name of “Manyawar Shri Kanshi Ram Ji”. Under this scheme, small towns and cities of Uttar Pradesh are being developed in a systematic manner and within time bound period. But under both these schemes, all the activities are being speeded up as much as the economic condition of the State allows. These developmental activities could well get further momentum and much speed if the Central Government fulfills its obligations of providing funds for the purpose.
Apart of this, priority has been accorded especially to Original Inhabitants of Jambudvipa i.e. The Great Prabuddha Bharath (SC/STs) and other exploited sections of the “Sarv Samaj” in all other developmental activities. The homeless and poor people were allotted vacant land, besides possession has also been ensured to landless poor for the purpose of farming/agriculture on that land. About 20 lakh poor people have so far been benefited from this decision of the government in the State, and this work is still continuously in progress.
In addition, my government has taken an unprecedented and historic decision to provide with more than one lakh permanent government jobs in rural areas for the Valmiki community of Scheduled Castes. By this decision, all the 1.08 lakh revenue
And, so far the issue of giving boost to education is concerned, the government of our party, for the first time in the country, took a policy decision to grant scholarship to the children of persons belonging to poor Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and also to poor children of Other Backward Classes and Religious Minorities, especially to the poor children belonging to Muslim community.
The scholarship amount has also been doubled in view of the rising inflation and cost of living; besides that the amount of scholarship is being distributed to students immediately after their admission. Our government also arranged free coaching to ensure their admissions in the prestigious institutions and for high-grade prestigious jobs like IAS, IPS. PCS etc.
Along with the above facilities, for the first time in the State, 25% of the State budget has been allocated separately for the welfare and development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the State.
Besides, in order to infuse the sense of security among the people belonging to Bahujan Samaj, a policy of reservation has been introduced for the first time in the postings at the police stations in each and every district. Under the new provision, police officers belonging to SC/STs, for the first time in the country, will be getting 25 percent of such posts of police station will go to the people belonging to OBCs and 5 percent to officers from Religious Minorities (Muslims) in all the districts of the State. This system of governance is still continuing in the State with a slight modification.
And especially, full care has been made towards protecting, in all spheres of life, the interests and welfare of the Muslims, which is the largest section of Religious Minorities in the State. Apart from their economic development, the safety and security of their lives and Religion has also been fully ensured. In addition, our government was first in the country ensuring government jobs to economically weaker Muslims by including them in category of other Backward Classes (OBCs) and issuing government order facilitating release of caste certificates accordingly.
“New Positive Reservation Initiatives”
In The Interest of Sarv Samaj
You know very well that “where there is will, there is way.” That is why for the first time in the country, the BSP government of Uttar Pradesh has taken “ New Positive Reservation Initiatives”
In The Interest of Sarv Samaj i.e. Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes (OBC), Religious Minorities and Upper caste, for it is more than evident that the benefit of reservation, which was provided on account of the untiring efforts of Param Pujya Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimarao Ambedkar, to the Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Castes (OBCs) in the Government jobs under the Constitution of India, was not reaching fully to the dire needy people because of anti-reservation attitude of the Congress, BJP and their supporting parties.
Not only this, various Government Departments and Institutions are being handed over to the Private Sectors for the past several years on the pretext of poor economic condition of the government, without ensuring provision of the same kind of reservation in the privatised firm/sector at any level. And, if this current state of affairs/practice of handing over the government departments and Institutions to Private Sector continues, a day will come when the constitutional facility of reservation will cease to exist.
Taking this issue of great importance very seriously, the Government of my party in Uttar Pradesh wrote several letters to the Government of India and requested that before the privatization of various Government and public sector institutions, the same quantum of reservation for those sections of society should be ensured as they were already getting in the Government sector and institutions. But no Government of any party has so far acceded to our contention and our party is “seriously concerned” and “worried” about this issue.
But the people belonging to Scheduled Castes (SCs) & Schedule Tribes (STs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) will be happy to know that throughout the country, it is only the Government of my party, the BSP in Uttar Pradesh which was fulfilled these tasks, which are as follows:
· Public-Private-Partnership (P.P.P.) is the main component of “all inclusive” realistic and practical economic policy of my government in Uttar Pradesh.
· All the Schemes/projects/industries with partnership with state government, the State Government would have a maximum partnership of 49 percent of 11 percent.
· The provision of job reservation in enterprises developed on Public-Private Partnership model will continue in the proportion and manner as the State Government has been providing quota which is in the government jobs 21 percent for Scheduled Castes, 02 percent for Scheduled Tribes and 27 percent for Other Backward Classes.
· The interests of employees will be fully safeguarded in the projects/enterprises established under PPP model.
· Now along with this, the Uttar Pradesh Government of my party has applied the policy of “Sarvjan Hitai –Sarvjan Sukhai” (Progress and Prosperity for all) also in the area of the reservation. In pursuance of this policy, our government has taken historical initiative to provide the benefits of reservation to all the poor and needy people belonging to all castes and the implementation of this new system has already been taken up in the right earnest in Uttar Pradesh. This step has been taken for the first time in the country.
· Under it, if the services rendered by the Govt. Departments, Corporations, Authorities, Councils and other Semi-government institutions or the maintenance of their establishment are substituted by outsourcing, then the contract to be executed for the said purpose would include the provision of providing 21 percent of jobs created through this out sourcing to the persons of Scheduled Castes, 2 percent to the persons belonging to Scheduled Tribes and 27 percent to Other Backward Classes.
· In the Industrial Units, Educational Institutions, Infrastructure/Service Sector Projects, Disinvested Units are being set up in which the private sector is provided land, subsidy, state aid or assets by the Government or any of its government departments, then as per the “voluntary” and “mutual agreement”, the employers have to provide 10 percent of the total jobs created in the projects to the persons of Scheduled Castes, 10 percent to Other Backward Classes, including Backwards of Religious Minorities and 10 percent to the economically weaker persons of the Upper Castes
· Over 30 thousand posts of backlog have so far been filled by my part’s government in Uttar Pradesh. Recruitment on remaining posts is in progress.
· Besides, it is to be clear in mind that the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (prevention of atrocities) Act, 1989, has been enacted by the Government of India, hence a central act, and no State Government can make any alternation in this Act nor repeal it. The State Government of Uttar Pradesh has ensured strict enforcement of this law.
· My Government has done everything possible regarding implementation of reservation policy.
· The Government of
· We have also urged the Government of India to amend the Constitution for providing benefits of reservation to the people belonging to upper castes living below the poverty line. But, the attitude of the Congress and BJP and its supporting parties has been throughout negative.
· But for that matter, I would like to fully assure the people of upper castes that the day the government of our party come to power at the centre, they will be given the benefit of reservation, similar to the pattern which has been introduced by us in Uttar Pradesh and this will be done without their asking for it, and will also make all positive efforts for the eradication of their poverty and un-employment. And, you all know very well about the style of functioning of my party that whatever we say, we do the same. In other words, there is no difference in our party’s saying and doing.
· Besides, Adequate additional reservation should also be provided to such persons of Scheduled Castes who were converted to Muslim or Christian religion, but maintaining the present share of quota of prescribed reservation for the Scheduled Castes. For this, necessary amendment should be made in the Constitution to relax the total limit of 50 percent reservation as laid down by Hon. Supreme Court and this amendment will be included in the 9th schedule of the Constitution so that this arrangement becomes a permanent feature.
So far as the matter of providing Social Security to the people is concerned, my party’s government in Uttar Pradesh is very serious and sensitive over the issue… That is why immediately after assumption of power my government increased to double the amount of pension to old age persons and farmers from Rs.150 to Rs.300. And also the number of beneficiaries was raised to 24 lakh from 20 lakh, for which sum of Rs. 1410 crores has been earmarked in the budget.
Similarly, labourers , who belong to the poorest and weaker section of the society and mostly fall under the category of farming labour, were not being cared properly as they belong to unorganized sector, but my government has raised their daily remuneration wage to Rs.100 from a meager of Rs.58, which they were getting previously.
And, over the issue of plight of farmers and farming becoming less remunerative day by day and thereby ultimately affecting our self-reliance on food, my party is in full sympathy with the farming community. It is beyond any doubt that the governments of the Congress, the BJP and their supporting parties during their rule in the past 60 years have done a criminal act of ignoring farm and farmers. In the course of promotion of heavy industries, there was a criminal neglect of farm sectors and farmers’ requirements.
This is also a tragedy that in the course of developing heavy industries particularly in the tribal areas, where the native people were deprived even from the fourth class jobs, adding more burden on their life to ensure protection of the interests of tribals & farmers.
Besides, my government has taken a stand that the Self-esteem and Self-respect of the unemployed youth will not be ridiculed every month by providing them meager ‘unemployment allowance’. Instead, our party wants them to live with pride, as they would instead be provided permanent jobs, with the creation of job opportunities, for which Regional Rural Employment Centre will be established.
And education is another area that has been accorded top most priority by my government in Uttar Pradesh. It is with this reason a decision was taken without any delay to recruit 88,000 teachers to help improve the standards of education. The process of recruitment of such a large number teachers in just one go is on.
In addition of all these, my government has paid attention in according full respect and honour to Sants, Gurus and Mahapurush born in Bahujan Samaj at different period of times such as Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, Chatrapati Shahuji Maharaj, Narayana Guru, Periar Ramaswamy, Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar and more recently Manyawar Shri Kanshi Ram Ji. A number of new Districts, Universities, Memorials, Museums and other important public places and institutions have been named and erected in their name to perpetuate the memory of their hard-faught struggles.
And in this connection, you all know very well that no government, be it the government of the Congress, the BJP or their supporting parties, ever gave proper respect and regards to the Sants, Gurus and Mahapurush born in the Bahujan Samaj.
And regrettably, the castiest mentality of these political parties still persists. . The biggest proof of it is that the Congress party, ruling at the centre did not even declare one or two days holiday nor they ordered flying of national flag half mast in the mourning of Manyawar Shri Kanshi Ram Ji, the creator and founder of the BSP movement.. And the BJP and other opposition parties remained a mute spectator to all this.
In brief, the lesson to our people of all this happenings is that if the people belonging to Bahujan Samaj and those of Savarn Samaj (upper castes) living in your state of Karnataka want to create an atmosphere like that of Uttar Pradesh for leading a life full of self-esteem, respect and dignity, they will also have to capture the “Master Key of political power” in their hands by ensuring good results in the general election being held in your State.
Therefore keeping all these factual propositions in mind, I earnestly “APPEAL” to the supporters of the BSP to follow the above mentioned suggestions in order to make an all out effort to achieve party’s goal of capturing power in order to get rid of their poverty, helplessness, backwardness, unemployment, injustice and exploitation by making your own government in your State, following the true path shown to you by your messiah Baba Saheb Dr. Ambedkar on the basis of exercise of franchise based on the concept of “One Man-One Vote” given to you by Baba Saheb himself and thus fulfill the unfinished task of Manyawar Shri. Kanshi Ram Ji.
In other words, you should understand your Messiah’s message properly and utilize the right to vote wisely to help yourself so that you could form a government of your own party in your State which will in real terms help improve your socio-economic condition as well as of education, besides ensuring a civilized self-esteem life to you. In the meantime, this could be also help improve the economic condition of the Upper castes people.
But to create such an atmosphere in your State, you have to acquire the “Master Key of Political Power” in your hands, like people have done in the Stae of Uttar Pradesh and you will have show good result in the coming Assembly elections in your State. And to achieve this great goal of success in the assembly election, you will have to be cautious and alert from various nasty tricks and Saam-Daam-Dand-bhed like nefarious designs of the opposition parties during the elections, because these parties can go to any extent to damage our party.
And I want to warn you that these opposition parties will go all out and will make all efforts to sabotage the voting of Savarn Samaj inn favour of BSP and for this purpose , these parties will propagate our “Ideology and Principles” in a wrong, vicious and twisted manner among these sections of society.
Therefore, I consider it important to explain the ideology and principles of B.S.P. I would also like to clarify here that the ideology and principles of our party “are not against any caste or creed”. B.S.P. wants to change the unequal social order of this country based on “caste” and wants to establish here a “Samatamulak Samaj Vyavastha” ( A Social Order based on Equality), which is in the interest of this country and Sarv Samaj.