BSP’s ‘political strength remained intact’ despite Mayawati’s ‘misbehaviour, corruption and greed’, says Udit Raj | Lucknow News

NEW DELHI: Former Lok Sabha MP Udit Raj criticized Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati in Lucknow on Monday, stating that her party’s political strength endured despite her alleged misconduct and corruption. He also drew parallels between the current situation of Muslims and the historical struggles of Dalits, while announcing plans for his organization DOMA Parisangh.
Speaking about the BSP’s evolution, Raj highlighted how Kanshiram’s Bahujan movement in Uttar Pradesh reached its peak in the 2000s, distinguishing itself from other political parties through its focus on social justice rather than just politics.
“After the 1980s, Kanshiram ji started Bahujan awakening in Uttar Pradesh, which reached its peak in the 2000s. Even though the movement culminated in politics, the thinking and basis has been social justice. Other political parties start with politics and end with it, but this was not the case with Bahujan Samaj Party,” Raj said.
He strongly criticized Mayawati’s leadership, describing how party workers remained loyal despite facing hardships.
“Despite Ms. Mayawati’s cruelty and incompetence, the workers and voters kept fighting. The houses of the workers were sold, their children could not get education and they were treated cruelly, yet they kept on struggling to bring Bahujan Raj. Lakhs of workers who believe in Phule, Shahu, Ambedkar are going through a phase of despair. Some have set up small organizations at their own level but their thinking is not dead,” he stated.
Raj, who heads the Dalit, OBC, Minorities and Adivasi (DOMA) Parisangh, drew attention to the challenges faced by the Muslim community.
“The Muslim community is going through the same phase today as the Dalits were in a bad condition once. The Muslim community cannot fight the situation alone. Dalits are also not capable alone. Whenever the Muslim community raises its problem, its outcome is converted into communalism,” he explained.
He called for unity among Ambedkarites and cautioned against divisive rhetoric.
“The so-called Ambedkarites could not even break the caste system, at least stop casteism and caste organization. Till when will you keep gathering people by speaking against Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Vaishyas. Today’s need is to change yourself. Hindus are united by speaking against Muslims and Dalit-backward classes by criticizing upper castes. Stop following this path,” he urged.
Discussing organizational structure, Raj criticized existing Bahujan organizations and outlined his vision for DOMA Parisangh.
“Till now the organisations of Bahujans formed have been based on individuals and castes. The population is 85 per cent, but do all classes have a share in the organisation from top to bottom? Those running the organisation appoint people of their own caste and their friends to important positions and say that they are doing the welfare of Bahujans,” he said.
He announced that DOMA Parisangh would mandate representation of Dalits, OBCs, Muslims, and Adivasis at every organizational level, with plans for six conferences across Uttar Pradesh cities.
Raj’s political journey includes serving as a BJP MP from North West Delhi between 2014 and 2019. Previously, he held various positions in the Income Tax department before resigning in 2003 to form the Indian Justice Party, which later merged with the BJP in 2014. He subsequently joined the Congress in 2019.
The first DOMA Parisangh rally was held at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on December 1, 2024, focusing on protecting the Waqf Board.