Members of the fishing community staged a protest in Delhi, demanding inclusion in the Scheduled Caste category and formal recognition of what they describe as their constitutional rights.
Uttar Pradesh Minister Sanjay Nishad backed the demand, saying the community should be removed from the Other Backward Classes list and recognised under the Scheduled Caste category. He said the recognition should cover a group of castes rather than treating the fishing community as one caste.
Nishad’s demand for formal recognition
Nishad said previous governments had taken the community’s support but failed to address its concerns. He argued that the community’s constitutional rights should be formally recognised and recorded.
Drawing a comparison with Uttarakhand, the minister said the state recognises the fishing population as a group of castes rather than a single caste. He called for the same approach in Uttar Pradesh.
The minister also said traditional livelihoods connected with water bodies, riverbanks and rivers had been taken away from the community. He demanded that those livelihood opportunities be restored.
What the protest seeks
The protest’s central demand is a change in official classification from the OBC list to the Scheduled Caste category. It also seeks recognition of the community’s traditional relationship with water-based work and the restoration of related livelihoods.
The available information does not identify a specific government decision or timeline on the demand. The issue raised by protesters and Nishad is the formal recording of their constitutional status and the classification of the community as a group of castes.
Conclusion
The Delhi protest has placed 2 linked demands before the authorities: Scheduled Caste recognition for the fishing community in Uttar Pradesh and restoration of traditional livelihoods tied to rivers, riverbanks and water bodies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Where did members of the fishing community protest?
Members of the fishing community staged the protest in Delhi.
Q. What is the community demanding?
The community is demanding inclusion in the Scheduled Caste category and formal recognition of its constitutional rights.
Q. What classification did Sanjay Nishad support?
Nishad said the community should be removed from the OBC list and recognised under the Scheduled Caste category.
Q. Did Nishad describe the community as one caste?
No. He supported recognising it as a group of castes rather than as a single caste.
Q. Which state did Nishad cite as an example?
Nishad referred to Uttarakhand, where he said the community is acknowledged as a group of castes.
Q. What livelihood issue did Nishad raise?
He said traditional livelihoods linked to water bodies, riverbanks and rivers had been taken away and should be restored.
