E-Paper
BJP scales up Suheldev's anniversary celebrations ahead of UP panchayat polls
The BJP maintains King Suheldev didn’t get his due from past governments and historians. The party has been working to glorify the ruler of Shravasti, located in Bahraich district.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) grand celebration of the birth anniversary of 11th-century king Suheldev, an icon of the other backward caste (OBC) communities in Uttar Pradesh, is being seen as a bid to counter former political ally Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) while consolidating Dalit and OBC votes for the upcoming rural panchayat elections. While the Yogi Adityanath government organised birth anniversary of the warrior king in each district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 40-feet high statue in the king’s memory on Tuesday.
As per the new reservation policy both Dalits and OBCs would have more representation in the predominantly rural polls due in April-May and Om Prakash Rajbhar, who named his party SBSP after the warrior king, is planning to take on the BJP by forming an alliance of small groups.
“He (Suheldev) is one of us. There is enough proof. But, we are not bothered about who is staking claim to his legacy. As for us, we definitely propose to go to each village talking about the greatness of Suheldev ji. Some may be felicitating him for political reasons but for us, he is our guide, guru, and god,” said SBSP chief.
But the BJP does not appear to be leaving anything to chance. The party through a slew of activities, including getting a song penned in honour of the king, is hoping to connect with the lower caste groups.
The BJP maintains King Suheldev didn’t get his due from past governments and historians. The party has been working to glorify the ruler of Shravasti, located in Bahraich district. State’s cabinet minister Anil Rajbhar said stories of Suheldev’s valour will be popularized not just in UP but across the country as the state’s culture department has got some artists to sing a song in the memory of the king whose caste origins are mired in a controversy of sorts.
Some call him a Dalit who was born into the Pasi caste, while others feel he was a backward, born into the Rajbhar caste. BJP leaders said they won’t mind if both the numerically dominant castes claim the king to be from among them.
Also Read: Why use FAStag for cars which ply in city limit, asks RLD
“Either way, these caste groups have been with the BJP since 2014 and will continue to be with us. We idolise him for his bravery and his patriotism,” said UP BJP vice president Vijay Bahadur Pathak, who is also the in-charge of forthcoming rural panchayat polls due in April-May.
He recalled how in 2016, Union home minister Amit Shah had visited Bahraich and hailed Suheldev as a national hero and unveiled his statue and also named a train after him. PM Modi had also released a stamp in Suheldev’s memory.
Before that, Rajnath Singh, the present defense minister, too had got Suheldev’s statue installed when he was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.
