MP Opposition To SC-ST Act Upsets BJP Applecart

By L.S. Herdenia

BHOPAL: Opposition to the SC and ST Act has created insurmountable difficulties to the ruling party BJP in Madhya Pradesh to the extent that it is hampering its poll eve campaign. How much nervous BJP is can be gauged by the fact that the party has cancelled the proposed tour of party president Amit Shah, who was scheduled to undertake a whirlwind tour of Gwalior and Chambal divisions.

His tour was to begin from September 19 and preparations had been gong on for the past several days. Party functionaries held several meetings to chalk out details of Shah’s tour. But suddenly the party has cancelled the programme. It is now learnt that dates of the tour may be finalised after September 25.

Opposition to the SC-ST bill has taken a violent turn in the state. The opposition is so strong that the BJP had to cancel several other programmes. The opposition to the bill has also affected the activities of Congress. The participants in the agitation show black flags to both BJP and Congress leaders.

One of the main reasons for the BJP worry is the decision of several sants to participate in the anti-SC-ST bill agitation. The most powerful denunciation of the bill has come from Shankracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati. In a statement he said that the SC-ST Act will badly divide the society and this may cause blood bath. BJP has gone ahead to enact the law fully aware of the serious consequences. The party is more worried about votes than its fallout on the society.

Another important religious leader “Katha Vachak” Devkinandan Thakur while addressing a meeting of upper castes representatives said that the country’s fate is no longer safe in the hands of political leaders and the time has come for religious leaders to come out on the streets.

Despite the opposition the BJP is going ahead with the preparation to hold a what they are calling the “Maha Kumbh” of party workers in Bhopal. The event is planned to be held on September 25 and is expected to be one of the biggest conclaves of party workers.

It is being held to appraise the grass root workers regarding the details of the strategy for the Vidhan Sabha polls to be held in November this year. The state leadership has targetted to bring more than 8 lakh party men to Bhopal. The party has already established a control room at the venue. Hundreds of party volunteers have been enrolled to take care of the participants in the massive BJP meet.

Congress is in a cheerful mood because of the success of Bharat Bandh in the state. Reports reaching Bhopal indicate that the bandh affected almost all the districts of the state. The success of bandh has added another cause for the BJP’s worry. Congress claims that the common man voluntarily participated in the protest. The BJP, on the other hand, accused Congress of adopting anarchic ways to intimidate people to enforce the bandh.

In Sagar over 200 Congressmen were rounded up after they violated Section 144 and took out a rally. The bandh was a complete success in many districts, including Chhatarpur and Tikamgarh. Finance minister Jayant Malaiya led a rally in Damoh opposing the bandh. Still almost 60 percent business establishments in the town were closed. In Indore CSP Jyoti Umath was injured when her vehicle was hit by some people carrying stones. There is outrage among the public against the Centre and state governments over the steep increase in fuel prices, Congress city wing president Mahesh Soni and rural wing president Kamal Patel said. In Barwani and Khargone the bandh failed to make any impact on normal life.

In Bhopal the impact of the bandh was felt more in the old city as compared to new Bhopal and BHEL township. Former chief minister Digvijay Singh visited old city market and other places to seek the support of the people. PCC chief Kamal Nath described it as a people’s bandh. “The is the call of people who are displeased and aggrieved. This bandh had the support from every section of the society be it farmers, students, workers and government employees and also the oppressed. BJP wanted to suppress the voice of the people and deployed government machinery for it. But the bandh was peaceful and successful,” Kamal Nath said.

(IPA Service)