Lucknow: BSP president Mayawati on Friday said the government must address the country's fundamental problems through concrete measures rather than creating a "feel-good" atmosphere for a handful of people, noting that issues of poverty, inflation, unemployment have now also become concerns of Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Addressing a gathering on Kanshi Ram's death anniversary at the Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) central camp office here, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also renewed her demand for Bharat Ratna for party founder Kanshi Ram.

"At a time when people from all sections of society are distressed and troubled by serious problems such as widespread poverty, inflation, unemployment, illiteracy and backwardness, how is it possible to make the country happy and prosperous by creating a feel-good atmosphere for just a handful of people? The government must adopt better and sustainable measures and empower people by making them employed, strong and self-respecting, thereby building a strong India," she said.

"The BSP's concern has now also been taken up as an issue by Gen Z and Gen Alpha, whereas their youth power should actually be engaged in nation-building in accordance with the right constitutional intent and policies of the Central and state governments," she said.

Gen Z refers to those born between 1995 and 2009 while Gen Alpha are those born between 2012 and 2025.

The BSP supremo's reference to youngsters also comes a day after BJP national president Nitin Nabin in Varanasi said politics should not divide the country's youth into "Alpha, Beta or Gamma" but instead identify them by their ideas, abilities and aspirations.

Mayawati added that governments must move beyond rhetoric and claims to improve education, healthcare, roads and employment, particularly in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and other neighbouring states.

"In these fundamental matters concerning public interest, public welfare and the nation, the government must rely on itself more than on the purely profit-oriented private sector and move forward on its own strength towards self-reliance. The country should be governed in accordance with the Constitution's noble, humanistic and welfare-oriented spirit, not with a commercial mindset," she said.

Warning that the increasingly vocal younger generation would not indefinitely tolerate failures in governance, she said people would hold governments accountable for broken electoral promises, irresponsibility, disorder and corruption. She cited continuing campaigns for improvements in schools and education despite alleged opposition and obstruction by governments.

Raking up the demand for Bharat Ratna for Kanshi Ram, she said, "While Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, despite his historic role and honour as the architect of India's unparalleled Constitution, was not awarded the Bharat Ratna for a long time by the Congress government, the people had already honoured him by calling him 'Param Pujya' and 'Baba Saheb'.

"Ultimately, he was awarded the Bharat Ratna under the government of Shri V P Singh after the BSP became strong. In the same way, his ardent follower, the Bahujan leader Manyavar Shri Kanshi Ram, should certainly have been awarded the Bharat Ratna in recognition of his historic contribution to social transformation and to respect the sentiments of the Bahujan Samaj, but this has not happened," she said.

"Therefore, the BSP once again strongly demands that Manyavar Shri Kanshi Ram be honoured with the country's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna. But the important thing to consider here is that the BSP must be strengthened so much that nobody can ignore it, and this task for the self-respect and dignity of the Bahujan Samaj can also be accomplished," Mayawati said.

Mayawati paid floral tributes to Kanshi Ram at the BSP's central camp office on Mall Avenue and reiterated her commitment to carrying forward his mission of empowering the Bahujan Samaj through political power.

She said millions of people belonging to the Bahujan Samaj constituted her real, extended family and that their welfare, interests, identity and dignity were paramount to her. She pledged not to compromise on these priorities and said she would protect the trust Kanshi Ram had placed in her by naming her his successor.

Mayawati said Kanshi Ram had devoted his life to transforming the oppressed sections of society into a ruling class by enabling them to acquire the "master key" of political power. She said the BSP must remain free from dynastic politics and other influences that could undermine its founding mission.

Recalling the party's record in Uttar Pradesh, she said the BSP had formed the government four times under her leadership, including once with a full majority for a five-year term. She attributed its achievements to the movement for social transformation and economic emancipation and said the party's governments had drawn inspiration from B R Ambedkar and other social reformers.

Mayawati urged party workers to intensify their efforts ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab, saying political power was essential to translate the ideals of the party's founders into reality.

She recalled Kanshi Ram's emphasis on the power of votes guaranteed by the Constitution and urged members of the Bahujan Samaj to protect that right as they would their life, property, faith and self-respect.

She also cautioned party workers against "fake news, paid news, sponsored coverage and misinformation spread through conventional media, social media and artificial intelligence", alleging such tactics could distract the BSP from its electoral preparations.

The BSP organised programmes to mark Kanshi Ram's death anniversary across the country, including seminars at the state level in Uttar Pradesh and the zonal level elsewhere. Mayawati thanked party office-bearers, workers and supporters for organising the events.

She said people from western Uttar Pradesh were also paying tribute at the Kanshi Ram memorial in Lucknow this year because maintenance work was underway at the Bahujan Samaj Prerna Kendra near the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border.

BSP national convenor Akash Anand and several senior party functionaries were present at the Lucknow event and paid floral tributes to Kanshi Ram.

Akash, who was recently forgiven by Mayawati and taken back in the party, was also quick to repost on social media his aunt and party chief's post on Kanshi Ram's death anniversary.

When Mayawati had sacked Akash from the part in September 10, she had highlighted, among others, that he had not reposted some of her recent posts on social media.

Kanshi Ram, a social reformer and political leader, was born on March 15, 1934, in Punjab, and died on October 9, 2006. He founded the BSP in 1984.

This report was published from a wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.