The order has been issued at a time when political parties in opposition have already started their outreach programmes to various social groups and communities in the wake of forthcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly election to be held in 2027. It should be noted that the state has not yet issued similar orders for religion based political rallies, the reason of which is quite known. Glorification and denigration of castes have been banned under this order but similar order does on apply to religion-based politics.

The ban order has been issued under the name and seal of the Officiating Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh Deepak Kumar, purportedly in the light of a September 16 Allahabad High Court order, that had directed the State’s Department of Home and the DGP to frame and implement standard operating procedures by amending police manuals or regulations, if necessary, to prohibit caste disclosure in all police documents barring cases lodged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities), Act 1989.

Adityanath led BJP government in the state made use of this order to issue the 10 point ban order chiefly targeting political parties like Samajwadi Party and BSP, since they have large support among Yadavas and Jatavas respectively. Samajwadi Party has been doing politics on PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) slogan while BSP chiefly does Dalit politics. Both the parties have also been engaged in reaching other castes too, such as SP has been trying to reach non-Yadava communities while BSP to non-Jatava communities.

BJP has also been indulging in caste politics especially among caste Hindus – such as Brahmins, Kshatriyas, and several non-Yadava and non-Jatava communities. It has also been outreaching to various castes, and its leaders have been participating in caste based political rallies. BJP has alliance partners in NDA, such as Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), NISHAD party, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, and Apna Dal, that have been in the caste politics in the state.

Not only that, even ministries and party tickets are being given on the basis of castes is a fact in Indian politics apart from the religion based politics on communal lines. No wonder, the issuance of the ban order has raised the political heat in the state – both within the NDA and INDIA bloc, and also BSP. BJP chiefly does religion based politics and hence it believes that the party can derive advantage by banning caste based politics in the state. All non-BJP political parties have criticized the move of the Yogi Adityanath government.

SP president Akhilesh Yadav asked five questions to the UP government. He 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?”

SP spokesperson Rajkumar Bhati has sharply attacked the state government and said that the BJP is afraid of the rising political consciousness among the various castes including the Gurjar community that has planned a rally, which is now banned under the new direction. He alleged, “Previously, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) itself had been organising caste rallies and conferences.”

Bhati said, 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.”

UP Congress leader Anil Yadav said, “Baba Saheb Ambedkar called for an equal society based on the concept of justice. The point is that whether injustice, unfairness, bias, and prejudice based on caste have 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.” He said that the decision is dangerous and is intended to silence the voices of Dalits, backwards and marginalised communities. (IPA Service)