Bhopal: Coming to terms with the fresh political equations arisen due to the anger that has swept the upper caste over restoration of original provisions of SC/ST Act, both the Congress and BJP have decided to reach out to the aggrieved community.
Congress was the first to speak about the issue. Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Kamal Nath, responding to the media queries on upper caste anger, had said that the party would attempt to calm them down. “As a political party, we wish that every section of the society is meted out justice and no injustice is done,” said the veteran leader contrary to his earlier stance in which he had expressed solidarity with the SCs and STs.
“Wherever the act (SC/ST Act) is subjected to misuse, we would strongly oppose it,” added the nine- time Chhindwara MP. However, he reiterated his earlier stand that there was nothing new and only the old provisions of the said act have been restored.
Sensing what the Congress was up to, the ruling BJP is also busy devising a strategy for preventing any deviation of its trusted vote bank.
Asked to comment on the upper caste anguish, senior BJP leader and Bhopal MP Alok Sanjar said, “No doubt, we will be discussing this at our party forum.”
Explaining the BJP concern for every section, Sanjar evoked Ekatm Manavvaad philosophy of Pt Deendayal Upadhyay, saying it seeks to nurture concerns for each and every section of the society.
A BJP meeting scheduled in Bhopal on Tuesday was also expected to discuss the September 6 Bandh anchored by Samanya Pichhra Aplsankhyak Samaj Kalyan (SAPAKS), which claimed support of OBC community that has close to 50 per cent representation among voters in Madhya Pradesh.
The party is expected to compile ground-level feedback from the leaders and devise a strategy for placating the agitated upper caste voters who are feeling offended after the parliament cleared the SC/ST Act amendment bill.
Incidentally, both the Congress and BJP had avoided comments on SAPAKS-led bandh but the massive support extended to the agitation across the state managed to push the parties on the back foot.
Besides, SAPAKS announcing to contest assembly polls on 230 assembly constituencies has set the alarm bells ringing for both the parties, as an upper caste and OBC combine is enough to throw their poll equations haywire across the state.
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