The issue of 'purification' has again heated up Dalit politics in the politics of Uttarakhand. Both BJP and Congress parties are advocating Dalit interests, but even after 26 years of formation of the state, no Dalit leader has been able to reach the post of Chief Minister.
Tezzbuzz Desk- Assembly elections are to be held in Uttarakhand next year and along with the election excitement, caste equations have also come into discussion. At present, the issue related to Dalit community is very hot in the politics of the state. BJP and Congress are at loggerheads over alleged 'purification' after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's meeting at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani. The controversy has further increased due to FIR being registered against Rahul Gandhi after his remarks.
A public meeting of Mallikarjun Kharge was held on 8 August at Ramlila Maidan in Haldwani. A few days later, a case of purification yagya allegedly being conducted in the grounds came to light. It was told that on August 11, some people performed yagya along with cleaning the grounds.
Congress targeted BJP by linking it to the Dalit community. At the same time, clarification was given by BJP that after the meeting, dirt and garbage was spread in the ground. It was also claimed that objectionable and Jihadi slogans were allegedly raised during the program, after which cleanliness and yagya were conducted on the grounds that religious sentiments were hurt.
The matter gained further momentum when an FIR was registered against Rahul Gandhi after his remarks. In protest against this, party workers led by Congress leader and MLA Yashpal Arya reached the police office and demanded a case to be registered on their complaint also.
Congress's eye on Dalit vote
Congress, which has been out of power in Uttarakhand for a long time, is making a strategy to return to power this time. The party is continuously making efforts to help the Dalit, backward and minority classes. However, at the organizational level the picture of the party appears somewhat different.
In November last year, Ganesh Godiyal, who comes from the Brahmin community, was made the state Congress President. Thakur and Brahmin leaders also have dominance among the 27 district presidents of the party. According to the available data, about 60 percent of the district heads are from these two communities.
10 Chief Ministers in 26 years, but no Dalit face
Uttarakhand was formed in the year 2000. Since then there have been 10 Chief Ministers in the state. From Narayan Dutt Tiwari to the current Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, all the Chief Ministers have been from Brahmin or Thakur community.
Narayan Dutt Tiwari was the only Chief Minister of the state who completed his five-year tenure. Current Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is also moving towards completing his tenure. Apart from this, the tenure of most of the Chief Ministers of the state was relatively short.
Till now, three Chief Ministers of Congress and seven of BJP have taken charge of the state, but the leaders who became Chief Ministers from both the parties have been from Brahmin or Thakur community only.
Congress bet on Yashpal Arya
Yashpal Arya is counted among the most prominent faces in Dalit politics of Uttarakhand. Arya, who has political experience of about five decades, can play an important role for Congress in this election. He is also being considered among the possible contenders for the post of Chief Minister.
Yashpal Arya was also in the race for the post of Chief Minister in the 2022 assembly elections, but Congress lost the election. Earlier in 2012, when Congress returned to power, his name was in discussion for the post of Chief Minister, but Vijay Bahuguna became the Chief Minister.
Arya's political journey has also been full of ups and downs. Before the 2017 assembly elections, he left Congress and joined BJP. At that time he was the transport minister of the state. However, after about five years, in October 2021, he left BJP and returned to Congress.
Can history change this time?
At the time of Yashpal Arya's return to Congress, the discussion had intensified that the party could strengthen the Dalit vote bank by making him the chief ministerial face. At that time, Congress had made Dalit leader Charanjit Singh Channi the Chief Minister in Punjab. However, this strategy could not bring electoral success in Punjab and BJP was successful in saving power in Uttarakhand.
This time Congress is reportedly preparing its election strategy by keeping Yashpal Arya in the forefront. It is believed that there is consensus regarding this name at the local level of the party and now the final decision has to be taken by the Congress high command.
Behind promoting Arya, Congress is also believed to be trying to solve different social equations of Terai, Kumaon and hilly areas.
Increased activism of both parties on Dalit issue
After the Haldwani controversy, both BJP and Congress parties seem to be more aggressive on the Dalit issue. After the case was registered against Rahul Gandhi, BJP demonstrated at different district headquarters of the state and burnt the effigy of Rahul Gandhi.
On the other hand, Congress has described the action against Rahul Gandhi as motivated by political malice. Party leaders say that no action is being taken on the complaints of their workers, whereas an FIR was registered against Rahul Gandhi immediately after the complaint.
Now this dispute which started from Haldwani has reached Dehradun and Delhi. In such a situation, this issue of Dalit politics can take a bigger political color in the coming days before the assembly elections.
Dalit-tribal representation in the assembly
In the 70-member assembly of Uttarakhand, 13 seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 2 for Scheduled Tribes. BJP also has many MLAs coming from the Dalit community, which include names like Khajan Das, Shaktilal Shah, Durgeshwar Lal and Bhupal Ram Tamta.
BJP has been in power in Uttarakhand for almost a decade and it may have to face the challenge of anti-incumbency environment in the upcoming elections. In such a situation, it will be very important for the party to retain the Dalit vote bank.