Page 11 - 15MAR2020E
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politics




               n the birth          New Dalit party                               get equal share in political
               anniversary of                                                     power,” Chandrashekhar said
                                                                                  in an interaction with media.
               founder of the
               Bahujan move-     takes shape in UP                                “Mere speeches will not work
     O ment, Kanshi                                                               to bring change in Bahujan
                                                                                  society, one has to work hard
      Ram, one of his stanch sup-                                                 to raise voice in their favour.
      porter and the Bhim Army   The emergence of Azad Samaj Party will put a
      chief Chandra Shekhar Azad                                                  They should get a share in
      announced formation of his   strong challenge before BSP chief Mayawati to   power,” he added.
                                                                                    Azad Samaj Party chief
      new political party  the Azad   keep intact her following, reports mudit mathur  Chandrashekhar Ravan also
      Samaj Party  amid presence
      of thousands of support-                                                    eyeing on upcoming state as-
                                                                                  sembly elections in 2022. He
      ers carrying blue flags in                                                  is trying to consolidate Dalit,
      their hands in Basai village                                                OBCs, Muslims under the um-
      of Sector-70 in Noida. The                                                  brella of Bhagidari Sankalp
      emergence of a new Dalit                                                    Morcha led by strained BJP
      party would put a strong                                                    ally Suheldev Bharatiya Sa-
      challenge before Bahujan                                                    maj Party chief and a former
      Samaj Party chief Mayawati                                                  minister of Yogi’s cabinet, Om
      to keep intact her following                                                Prakash Rajbhar with whom
      that was gradually declining                                                he held long parleys. Rajbhar
      with her extravagant life style                                             has influence in the eastern
      and arrogance.                                                              belt of Uttar Pradesh. “Rajb-
        The announcement of the                                                   harji is big leader of eastern
      new political party alarmed                                                 Uttar Pradesh who supported
      Mayawati as the event at-                                                   me when I was in jail. We
      tracted presence of her 28                                                  talked about how to stop the
      ex-MLAs and six former MPs.                                                 BJP and will take all necessary
      Thousands of Bhim Army                                                      steps to prevent the BJP from
      supporters and workers   ers and cadres to take stock   her cadre that Kanshi Ram   coming back to power,” he
      were present during the   of the situation in the first   wrote a book “Chamcha Yug”   added.
      announcement. The political   week of April. In the anniver-  wherein he cautioned poor   The newly formed political
      circles feel that the formation   sary function of BSP founder   and innocent Dalits, tribals,   party aims consolidation of
      new political party is a direct   Kanshi Ram on 15 March,   backward castes and other   Dalit, Muslim and OBC (Other
      challenge to BSP chief Maya-  Mayawati made scathing   oppressed lot of our society   backward classes) but that is
      wati’s leadership who until   remarks pointing indirectly   that they are not a saleable   most difficult task in view of
      now was the sole beneficiary   at Chandra Shekhar Ravan.   commodity. “Formation of   well-established organisa-
      of the Dalit votes.        “Even now, people with   new parties or organisations   tion of Bahujan Samaj Party
        Azad explained his sup-  vested interests are play-  will further divide their might   backed by enough financial
      porters that the Bhim Army   ing into the hands of rival   and led to rule of communal   resources. BSP cadre has wit-
      will continue its functions as   political parties. They have   forces over oppressed peo-  nessed and experienced its
      a social and cultural arm of   nothing to do with Babasaheb   ple,” she warned. Mayawati   prominence during her rule
      the Azad Samaj Party. Bhim   Ambedkar and his move-  cited examples of Naseemud-  and felt empowered in the
      Army will participate in the   ment. Nor they have anything   din Siddiqui and Indrajit Saroj   administration of public ser-
      protests against Citizen-  to do with Manyavar Kanshi   who lost elections when they   vices. Mayawati undoubtedly
      ship Amendment Act (CAA),   Ram’s sacrifice and his mis-  tried luck from other parties.  inherits legacy of Bahujan
      National Population Register   sion,” Mayawati remarked.   The newly formed Azad   movement led by her mentor
      (NPR) and National Register   “The truth is that these   Samaj Party has focused   Kanshi Ram and registered
      for Citizens (NRC) as before.  people are only using their   to target a combination of   pan India political presence
        Tizzy over emergence of   (Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram)   Dalit, Muslims and backward   on the electoral map whereas
      new political equations in   names to serve their vested   castes as its core support   Chandra Shekhar Ravan has
      the western parts of Uttar   interests,” obviously jittery   base. “The legitimate rights of   yet to prove his independent
      Pradesh, bastion areas of   BSP chief commented in a   minority community, Dalits   credentials that he is not a
      her dominance, BSP chief   statement issued by the BSP   and backward classes are   political plot for other players.
      Mayawati convened an     central office in New Delhi.  in jeopardy. Our workers
      urgent meeting of her lead-  Mayawati reminded     want that they too should          letters@tehelka.com


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