The controversy arising out of the vulgar remarks against Rajput Raja Rana Sanga, a Dalit MP of Samajwadi Party (SP), has revealed the importance of Dalits in the political scenario of Uttar Pradesh. Now the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the main opposition party Samajwadi Party are engaged in the political opinion of a very important Dalit vote bank in their favor.
According to political experts, the focus has increased further on Dalits holding 21 per cent of the voters due to the recent controversy and the political match of the two parties.
Ambedkar Samman Abhiyan started
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath started the Ambedkar Samman Abhiyan, which was running for a fortnight on Sunday, in which BJP workers have been tasked to promote the government’s schemes related to Dalits. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav unveiled a statue of Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar in Etawah and reminded the attendees of the party’s role in winning the Lok Sabha elections to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The BJP criticized this claim.
SP MP’s statement on Rana Sanga
SP’s Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman raised a controversy last month by calling Rana Sanga a ‘traitor’, to which there was a sharp response from the Kshatriya community. Many activists of the caste-based group Karni Sena, who advocated Rajput Gaurav, vandalized the MP’s residence in Agra on 26 March.
Support of Karni Sena attack
Akhilesh Yadav has accused the BJP of supporting the Karni Sena attack at Ramji Lal Suman’s residence in Agra. The MP said that to target him is actually an attack on the PDA (Backward, Dalit, Minority) alliance. A section of backward, Dalit and minority voters is very important from the SP’s election strategy.
Political bets to strengthen the mass base
This week, both Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav are playing political bets with the aim of strengthening the support of their party among the Dalits before their scheduled visit to Agra. Since 2014, the support of Dalits and other backward classes (OBCs) has been important in BJP’s election success in Uttar Pradesh.
Exploitation by misleading Dalits
CM Yogi recently appealed to BJP workers to actively join the Dalits, saying that until we present the right facts to the people, people who mislead people (opposition parties) to fulfill their political interests will continue to mislead Dalits and the underprivileged and exploit them and create chaos in the country.
Will not let the constitution change
Meanwhile, the SP chief recently insisted in a program based on the subject of the Indian Constitution that we (BJP) will not allow Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar’s Constitution to change. Akhilesh Yadav praised Ambedkar as a unique scholar, economist and social reformer. He said that the experiences of discrimination of Dr. Ambedkar towards him were very important lessons in the creation of the Constitution.
Daddu Prasad joined SP
In addition, Minister of State Yogendra Upadhyay, who represented Agra, led the padyatra in Lucknow, underlining the importance of Dalit voters in Uttar Pradesh. Meanwhile, BSP founding member Daddu Prasad recently joined the party in the presence of Akhilesh Yadav as part of the Samajwadi Party efforts to strengthen the support of Dalit.