Nishad Party demand reservation, vandalise BJP rally in Lucknow

Lucknow: Nishad party workers on Friday vandalised a BJP rally to express their anger over not being mentioned under the SC category during the same.

As the UP chief minister began his speech, a group of people from the crowd started demanding reservations, raising slogans like “Aaarakshan Nahi Toh Vote nahi” (No reservation, No vote). Placards were raised during Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s speech.

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UP MSME minister Sidharth Nath Singh, responsible to clear the hurdles for the reservation to the Nishad community, urged the people to maintain calm, adding that the government will fulfill its promises.

According to a report by the Times of India, one of the agitators said, “We were told that we will be given reservation and an announcement about the same will be made in the rally”. It is to be noted that the Nishad party had spoken to its supporters regarding the notice, which stated that their issues would be touched upon during the BJP rally.

The Nishad Party was initially formed in 2016 to empower Nishad, Kewats, Bind, Mallah, Kashyap, Manjhi, Gond and other communities who traditionally worked as either boatmen or fishermen.