NEW DELHI — Shivraj Singh Yadav, a Samajwadi Party leader and close aide of party chief Akhilesh Yadav, sparked controversy after declaring that “Yadavs are not Hindus,” citing caste-based discrimination that he said is sanctioned by religious texts.
“I do not follow a religion that treats a human being as lower than a dog,” Yadav said, criticising the traditional caste system that places Shudras at the bottom of the social hierarchy.
He made the remarks at a public meeting titled “PDA (Dalit–Backward–Minority) Pathshala” in Dandiyamai village of the Sirsaganj Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh. During his address, Yadav said he does not believe in any religion that dehumanises people on the basis of caste.
Referring to the caste hierarchy described in the Manusmriti, Yadav questioned the position of his community. “We are not Brahmins, not Kshatriyas, not Vaishyas. What remains is Shudra,” he was quoted as saying by the media.
Rejecting Hindu identity, he said following Hinduism is not compulsory. “I say this on every platform: I am not Hindu. I am Shivraj Singh Yadav, and I am a human first. I cannot follow a religion that places a human below a dog,” he said.
The SP leader also criticised the BJP governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh, alleging that the highest number of atrocities against Dalits and backward classes have occurred under their rule. According to him, the present system works against marginalised communities.
He further claimed that Dalits, backward classes and minorities together constitute nearly 90 per cent of the population but have little share in power. “A small group controls the system, while the majority remains excluded,” he said.
Yadav’s remarks have drawn attention as few leaders from the Yadav community have publicly distanced themselves from Hindu identity.
Amid the controversy, however, Yadav later clarified his statement, saying, “What I meant was that I am not claiming to be a Hindu in a narrow or certificate-based sense. I can follow Krishna, I respect Shiva. Who is a greater Hindu in this country? One does not need certificates for that.”
He also alleged that a controversy was being manufactured to divert attention from the issues he raised during his address, asserting that he had spoken truthfully and in good faith.
