UP minister Sanjay Nishad breaks down at Gorakhpur rally, threatens resignation over SC status demand

Uttar Pradesh fisheries minister and Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad broke down on stage during a rally in Gorakhpur on Sunday while demanding Scheduled Caste (SC) status for the Nishad community , warning that he would resign if the long-pending demand is not fulfilled.

The rally, held at Mahant Digvijaynath Park, marked the launch of the party’s campaign ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections . Nishad led a motorcycle rally of around 3,000 riders , personally riding a bike as the procession moved through several parts of the city before culminating in a large public meeting.

Addressing supporters, the minister became visibly emotional while alleging injustice against his community. “Our votes are being taken away. The dignity of our sisters and daughters is being violated. We need to become stronger,” he said, urging supporters to unite behind the party and intensify the struggle for their rights.

The event was organised on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Guhyaraj Nishad and also coincided with celebrations marking ten years of the Nishad Party , which was formed to fight for the rights of the riverine fishing community in Uttar Pradesh.

Nishad reiterated the demand that the fishing community, currently classified under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category , be included in the SC list. He also called for reallocation of 9 per cent quota from the OBC category to SCs to ensure better access to education and government jobs.

The Nishad Party, an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance in the state, plans to organise four major rallies across Gorakhpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi and Meerut to mobilise supporters and push the reservation demand.

Party leaders say the outreach campaign aims to consolidate support among the Nishad and other riverine communities, who are considered influential voters in nearly 160 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh .

During the rally, Nishad accused previous governments of neglecting the community, alleging that policies under the Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Congress harmed their education, livelihood and social rights. He also claimed that the Centre and the BJP-led state government were seriously considering the demand for reservation.

The minister urged supporters to strengthen the party and take the campaign to every village, asserting that the movement for reservation and socio-economic rights of the fishing community would continue until the demand is fulfilled.