Brahmins Step Up In UP: Demand Commission, Welfare Board As BJP Looks To Rebuild Caste Base
BJP leader Dr KC Pandey raised the twin demands with UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak, the party's key Brahmin face in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet
You must have heard about the Commissions for the Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST), Minorities, and even Other Backward Castes (OBC); but have you ever heard of a separate commission for the upper castes? Chances are, you haven't, because there aren't any. But with the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election two years away and the Uttar Pradesh Panchayat election scheduled for next year, the chorus is growing for a Commission for the upper castes in the state.
What's more? Flexing their muscle, Brahmins — a key constituent of the upper castes — have now demanded that a Brahmin Welfare Board also be constituted. Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasabha President and BJP leader Dr KC Pandey raised both these demands with Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister and the BJP's Brahmin face in the Yogi Adityanath cabinet, Brajesh Pathak.
Pandey has also demanded that the BJP-led state government declare Parshuram Jayanti a state holiday, like Ambedkar Jayanti. Brahmins, particularly Bhumihar Brahmins, hold a special reverence for Parashurama, viewing him as a symbol of their dual heritage of spirituality and martial prowess.
Before you dismiss this as just another fringe demand, think again. UP BJP Vice President and a prominent Brahmin face of the party in western UP, Dinesh Kumar Sharma, has come out in support of Pandey.
Speaking to News18, Sharma said, 'Different commissions are being established keeping in mind the welfare of different castes. So why not an Upper Caste Commission? There is also a dire need for a Brahmin Welfare Board because Brahmins, like other castes, comprise individuals from different economic strata. Brahmins include the rich, the poor, the urban, the rural, and even those living in tribal areas. Sometimes, they are left to fend for themselves."
'Just because they belong to an 'upper caste', no one cares about their welfare. So, a welfare board for Brahmins will be a welcome step in the right direction," he added.
Sources in the UP BJP say it would be 'premature" to comment definitively, but the Deputy CM has listened to the demands and will convey them to CM Adityanath for consideration.
Meanwhile, Pathak has been reaching out to Brahmins in particular and upper castes in general by engaging with organisations such as the Parshuram Sena and the women's wing of the Brahmin Sabha. This week, Pathak chose to attend an event held by the Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasabha — the body that has raised the demand for an Upper Caste Commission and a Brahmin Welfare Board.
Pathak has recently been tasked by the BJP with wooing the Brahmin community to consolidate the upper caste vote, especially after the result in the 2024 Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh, where the party lost 29 seats, bringing its tally down from 62 to 33.
In Uttar Pradesh, the 'upper caste" population is estimated to make up around 19–20 per cent of the total population. This group primarily includes Brahmins, Thakurs (Rajputs), Bhumihars, and Kayasthas. Specifically, Brahmins are estimated to form around 12 per cent of the population, while Thakurs (Rajputs) account for approximately 7–8 per cent.
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