SP leader ‘Yadavs are not Hindus’ remark draws BJP charge of breaking Hindu unity

The remarks that he no longer belonged to a religion that treats human beings as lower than dogs, and that Hinduism was rooted in caste-based discrimination, made by Samajwadi Party leader Shivraj Singh Yadav, a close aide of party chief Akhilesh Yadav, triggered a controversy, whereupon the BJP alleged that he was attempting to break Hindu unity.

Shivraj Singh Yadav made the remarks while addressing a public meeting titled PDA Pathshala in Dandiyamai village of the Sirsaganj Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh, an event organised for Dalits, backward classes and minorities, during which he questioned the moral legitimacy of religious traditions that, he argued, institutionalised caste hierarchies and legitimised social inequality, according to Maktoob media.

He stated that he did not subscribe to any faith that graded human beings on the basis of birth and social status, and he invoked references to the caste order described in the Manusmriti to argue that communities like his were systematically excluded from dignity within the traditional framework.

Elaborating on the PDA concept—an acronym for Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak—Yadav argued that these groups together constituted an overwhelming majority of the population, yet remained marginalised in terms of political power and social influence, which he claimed continued to be monopolised by a small elite.

He further accused the BJP-led governments at both the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh of presiding over a system that, according to him, had witnessed a rise in atrocities against Dalits and backward classes, while simultaneously undermining constitutional safeguards meant to protect marginalised communities.

The remarks assumed wider significance because public rejection of Hindu identity has historically been more visible among sections of the Dalit community, particularly through movements of conversion to Buddhism, whereas leaders from the Yadav community have rarely articulated such positions so openly.

The Samajwadi Party has, over time, consistently accused the BJP of pursuing policies that are hostile to Dalits and backward classes, with Akhilesh Yadav repeatedly alleging that social violence and discrimination have intensified under the current regime.

Reacting to the controversy, BJP Andhra Pradesh spokesperson Dr Vinusha Reddy accused Shivraj Singh Yadav of engaging in identity-based politics aimed at fragmenting Hindu society, and alleged that the Samajwadi Party was willing to adopt any political stance to consolidate its vote base.

Amid the escalating backlash, Shivraj Singh Yadav issued a clarification asserting that his comments had been misrepresented, and he accused the BJP of orchestrating a disinformation campaign to distort his position, maintaining that his argument was philosophical rather than a formal renunciation of faith.