Lucknow erupted in political fireworks after the Samajwadi Party (SP) announced ‘PDA Day’ to mark the birth anniversary of BSP founder Kanshiram. BSP supremo Mayawati wasted no time in firing back, branding the move as sheer political theatrics aimed at grabbing votes from marginalized communities.
In a sharp post on X, Mayawati declared the SP’s gesture a sham. ‘Declaring PDA Day on Kanshiram ji’s jayanti is nothing but political drama,’ she wrote, accusing the party of a long history of opposing Dalits, OBCs, and the broader Bahujan society.
She delved into SP’s track record, pointing to decades of alleged atrocities against weaker sections. ‘SP’s intent, character, and face have always stood against BSP and Bahujan icons,’ Mayawati asserted. She highlighted how SP never remembered these figures until eyeing the 2027 elections.
Recalling the 1993 SP-BSP alliance, Mayawati claimed promises to curb atrocities on Dalits were blatantly ignored. The infamous June 2, 1995, State Guest House incident in Lucknow loomed large in her narrative—where she alleged a deadly attack was orchestrated on her under then-Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav’s watch.
Mayawati didn’t stop there. She accused SP governments of renaming districts and institutions honoring Kanshiram, such as Kanshiram Nagar, Sant Ravi Das Nagar, and the Urdu-Farsi-Arabic University in Lucknow. Even a hospital in Saharanpur named after him was rechristened, she charged, calling it an insult to Bahujan pride.
The BSP leader also slammed SP for anti-Muslim riots during its rule, causing massive loss of life and property. She portrayed SP and BJP as two sides of the same coin, mutually bolstering each other’s politics at the expense of Uttar Pradesh’s people.
In a pointed challenge, Mayawati demanded SP explain why no state mourning was declared on Kanshiram’s demise. Her broadside has intensified the rivalry ahead of future polls, underscoring deep fissures in UP’s Dalit-OBC politics.