Lucknow: A large number of intellectuals, social activists, students, and representatives of the Bahujan movement gathered at the UP Press Club for the Samata Adhikar Conference, reaffirming their commitment to the cause of social justice.
The conference began with tributes to social reformers B R Ambedkar, B P Mandal, and Jyotiba Phule. Participants discussed a broad agenda focused on strengthening the movement for social justice, including demands for caste census and support for UGC regulations. During the event, the social justice-focused magazine Current Agenda and Basavan India were also released.
Senior journalist Anil Chamadia, addressing the gathering, alleged that the current political climate poses significant challenges for the younger generation of the Bahujan community. He emphasized that opposition to anti-discrimination laws in educational institutions is, in essence, opposition to constitutional values. He also highlighted concerns over rising privatization and its potential impact on representation and reservation policies.
Social justice activist Rinku Yadav stated that the movement has gained momentum across the Hindi heartland, with youth actively taking to the streets. He stressed that the dream of social justice can only be realized by organizing oppressed castes as a unified class and ensuring representation proportional to population through caste-based data.
Student leader Danish raised concerns about discrimination in educational institutions, calling for urgent measures to address systemic inequalities. Meanwhile, Rajendra Verma spoke about the historical ideological struggle between egalitarian traditions and caste-based hierarchies.
Rihai Manch president Mohammad Shoaib called for intensifying the fight against communalism and caste discrimination, urging youth to actively engage in democratic struggles to safeguard their rights.
Editor of Current Agenda, Anoop Patel, emphasized the need for unity in demanding a caste census as a step toward building an equitable society. Other speakers, including Shivkumar Yadav, highlighted the importance of spreading the ideology of social reformers at the grassroots level.
At the conclusion of the conference, Sunil Maurya presented an 11-point resolution covering key demands such as implementation of UGC regulations, caste census, OBC reservation in women’s quota, reservation in the private sector, and enforcement of Mandal Commission recommendations. All proposals were passed unanimously by voice vote.
The conference was conducted by Rajeev Yadav and saw participation from several activists and community members, reflecting a renewed push for social justice and equality.
