Samajwadi Party leader Shivraj Singh Yadav, a close aide of party chief Akhilesh Yadav, triggered a major political controversy after saying that Yadavs are not Hindus and rejecting Hindu identity over what he called caste-based discrimination backed by religious texts.
Shivraj Singh Yadav was speaking at a public meeting titled PDA Pathshala in Dandiyamai village of the Sirsaganj assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh. PDA stands for Dalit Backward and Minority. During his address, he said he does not believe in a religion that treats human beings as inferior because of caste.
Referring to the caste system mentioned in Manusmriti, Yadav questioned where his community fits in the traditional hierarchy. “Brahmin we are not. Kshatriya we are not. Vaishya we are not. What is left is Shudra,” he said.
Rejecting Hindu identity, he added that following Hinduism is not compulsory. “I always say this on every platform. I am not Hindu. I am Shivraj Singh Yadav and I am a human first. I do not follow a religion that makes a human lower than a dog,” he said.
The Samajwadi Party leader also accused the BJP led governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh of carrying out the highest number of atrocities against Dalits and backward classes. He said the present system works against marginalised communities.
Explaining the idea behind PDA, Yadav said Dalits, backward classes and minorities together make up nearly 90 percent of the population but have no real share in power. “A small group controls the system, while the majority remains excluded,” he claimed.
Rejection of Hindu identity has earlier been seen mainly among sections of the Dalit community, with many embracing Buddhism for its message of equality. However, Shivraj Singh Yadav’s remarks have drawn attention as very few leaders from the Yadav community have publicly distanced themselves from Hindu identity.
The Samajwadi Party has repeatedly accused the BJP of being anti-Dalit and anti-backward class. Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has often alleged that atrocities against Dalits have increased under the current BJP government at both the state and central level.
