http://www.indianexpress.com/news/in-mayas-dalit-land-sp-looks-backward-for-a-foothold/610349/
In Maya’s Dalit land, SP looks ‘backward’ for a foothold Sanjay Singh Posted online: Friday , Apr 23, 2010 at 0217 hrs Lucknow : As the Congress eyes the BSP’s Dalit votebank, the Samajwadi Party tries to find its own among the Most Backward Castes (MBC) — Nishad, Bind, Mallah, Manjhi, Pal, Prajapati and Gareri. The party wants to unite them under its banner, promising them a share in political power with the OBCs. The SP has already demanded the inclusion of at least 16 such castes in the SC category. Party leaders feel it is the right time to politically target these castes. “Under the current regime, we see a discontentment among them,” said a leader. “The idea is to create awareness among them about their importance in state politics. If united, they can be good weapon to counter the Dalits.” Leaders use the Maya’s government’s special focus on Dalits to win over these castes. “We tell them how many people of their castes have got jobs under the Maya rule in comparison with the Dalits,” another leader said. Confirming the move to woo MBCs, party spokesperson Rajendra Choudhari said separate conferences of these caste groups have been held in the state. “We want them to join mainstream politics. They need social justice,” Choudhari said. The desperation in the SP camp to unite the MBC and OBC groups is evident from its plan to organise “Pichhra Sammelan” in the state. The conference of backward castes was held in Kanpur on April 20, Choudhari said. Moreover, party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav had also attended the conference of Saini castes organised in Saharanpur on April 6. On April 25, Mulayam has been invited as a chief guest at “Prantiya Pichhra Varga Sammelan” — to be organised by Uttar Pradesh Pichhra Varg Sangh in Ravindralaya in Lucknow. “The party is not directly involved in this conference. But I have seen hoardings displaying the name of Netaji as chief guest on this occasion,” said Choudhari. Former minister Om Prakash Singh, the general secretary of the party’s state unit, however, said there is nothing new in party’s efforts to ensure social justice for these castes. “We want to see them to share political power. We have already demanded proper census of these castes at the national level,” Singh said. ------------------------------------ ---- INFORMATION OVERLOAD? Get all ZESTCaste mails sent out in a span of 24 hours in a single mail. Subscribe to the daily digest version by sending a blank mail to [email protected], OR, if you have a Yahoo! Id, change your settings at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/join/ PARTICIPATE:- On this list you can share caste news, discuss caste issues and network with like-minded anti-caste people from across India and the world. Just write to [email protected] TELL FRIENDS TO SIGN UP:- If you got this mail as a forward, subscribe to ZESTCaste by sending a blank mail to [email protected] OR, if you have a Yahoo! ID, by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join/ Also have a look at our sister list, ZESTMedia: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTMedia/Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ZESTCaste/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
