The BJP’s national executive, scheduled for September 8 and 9, is expected to give clarity to the position of the party, which is now caught between being termed anti-Dalit and a growing upper caste resentment in the election-bound Madhya Pradesh and other States. A strategy will be articulated at the meeting to manage upper caste resentment, while not backing off from being pro-Dalit by supporting reservation in promotion and the restoration of the SC/ST Act.
According to senior leaders, there are serious concerns that the BJP will face challenges on both fronts. “A political messaging will go out that the party stands with the Dalits and assure the forward castes that the rights accruing to all sections will not be tampered with. However, it is clear that there will not be any backing off from the pro-Dalit steps taken by the government,” a source said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to delineate the party’s and his government’s position. There might also be a session to discuss the issue.
New threat
How to manage these contradictions was discussed at the meeting of BJP Chief Ministers in New Delhi on August 28. In Madhya Pradesh, which goes to to the polls at the year-end, it is of particular concern as a new outfit representing the upper caste interests, called SAPAK, has called a state-wide bandh for Thursday, and announced plans to float a party and contest all 230 Assembly seats. The organisation has been upset with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for making his government a party to an appeal in the Supreme Court against a Madhya Pradesh High Court ruling striking down reservation in promotion. “When the High Court struck it down, what was the need for the State government to go to the Supreme Court, that too, as a party to the case,” asked Anand Kushwah, former chief of the SAPAK.
Party insiders feel that while the upper caste anger can be handled, it is important to remove any perception that the government is anti-Dalit. “The terming of the monsoon session of Parliament the session for social justice, with the OBC Bill and the SC/ST Act being cleared, is an important pointer,” a source said.
Published - September 05, 2018 10:43 pm IST
