In the midst of an escalating political controversy surrounding the alleged sidelining of senior Congress Dalit leader Kumari Selja in Haryana, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of using Dalit leaders for political expediency. She called upon Dalit leaders to break ties with the Congress and other “casteist parties,” urging them to follow the path laid down by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
In a series of posts on X, Mayawati accused the Congress and similar parties of exploiting Dalit leaders during political crises only to marginalize them once stability returns. “Political developments in the country have proven that especially the Congress and other casteist parties temporarily appoint Dalit leaders to significant roles during their troubled times,” she stated. “However, when these parties find themselves in favorable circumstances, they often sideline Dalits, replacing them with casteist individuals—a trend we are currently witnessing in Haryana.”
Referring directly to the sidelining of Kumari Selja, a prominent Dalit leader in Haryana, Mayawati’s comments are clearly aimed at highlighting the Congress’s alleged hypocrisy in dealing with Dalit leaders. According to her, the Congress has a pattern of using Dalits only when it benefits the party, and then casting them aside once their utility has passed.
Mayawati’s remarks come as her party seeks to establish itself as a pro-Dalit alternative in the state, where elections for the 90-member Haryana Assembly are scheduled for October 5, with results expected on October 8. The BSP has allied with the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and will contest 37 seats.
Mayawati also appealed to Dalit leaders to take inspiration from Ambedkar’s legacy and distance themselves from parties that have consistently humiliated and sidelined them. “These humiliated Dalit leaders should be inspired by their messiah, Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, and detach themselves from these parties. They should also work to keep their communities away from these casteist parties.”
