Opposition slams U.P. Government’s ban on caste-based political rallies, calls move an ‘eyewash’

Opposition parties on Monday (September 23, 2025) questioned the Uttar Pradesh government directives prohibiting caste-based political rallies and other caste centered signs and asked what would be done to remove the caste discrimination that has been ingrained in the minds of the people for 5,000 years and called the directives eyewash. 

Posing five questions over the decision, the Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav asked, “What will be done to remove the caste discrimination that has been ingrained in our minds for 5,000 years and what will be done to eradicate caste discrimination arising from caste-display through clothing, costumes and symbols?”

Mr. Yadav further went on to ask, what will be done to end the caste discrimination mentality of asking someone’s caste before their name when they meet them, what measures will be taken to end the caste-based discrimination of getting someone’s house washed and what will be done to end caste-based conspiracies to defame someone by making false and defamatory allegations. 

SP spokesperson Rajkumar Bhati alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government is afraid of the political awareness of the Gurjar community. “This is precisely what can be interpreted as: On Sunday, September 21st, the Uttar Pradesh government issued a government order banning caste rallies and conferences in Uttar Pradesh. Previously, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) itself had been organising caste rallies and conferences.”

“Before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, meetings of various castes were held continuously for a month at the BJP’s office in Lucknow. The BJP also posted a sign in Lucknow announcing the number of ministers from each caste appointed by its government. Yogi Adityanath held a road show during the Ghaziabad assembly by-election. During the one-kilometre road show, welcome platforms for ten castes were set up, with the names of the different castes written on them.”

“Today, when a campaign is underway to raise political awareness among the Gurjar community and we have announced a massive Gurjar rally, how did the government suddenly remember that rallies should not be held in the name of castes?” said Mr. Bhati. 

The Congress described the decision as dangerous and an eyewash to silent voices emerging from the Dalit, backwards, marginalised and other subaltern communities.

“Baba Saheb Ambedkar called for an equal society based on the concept of justice. The point is that injustice, unfairness, bias, and prejudice based on caste ended in Uttar Pradesh; the clear answer is no, those in power discriminate against downtrodden, Dalits, backwards and minorities based on identity through multiple ways, from fake encounters to bias in appointment. This decision to ban caste-based references or mobilisation will further embolden the forces of injustice and ultimately target social community-based groups who fight against discrimination,” said Anil Yadav, a senior U.P. Congress leader. 

On Sunday, September 21, Uttar Pradesh’s officiating Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar issued a 10-point directive to all the district magistrates and police chiefs, adding that caste-based rallies for political purposes are against public order and prohibit them in any form, like signboards, social media at public places. The order also directed that caste will no longer be mentioned in police records, like FIRs or arrest memos. The order is taken on the directives of the Allahabad High Court.