Meet Chandrashkehar. The new SC political hero who's ruffling feathers from Mayawati to the BJP
The Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, who was booked under the National Security Act in connection with the violence in Saharanpur city in May 2017, walked out of Saharanpur central jail late night on September 13, after Uttar Pradesh's Yogi Adityanath government decided to release him.
Chandrashekhar was arrested in June 2017 in connection with the May 5 clashes in which one person was killed and 16 others were injured at Shabbirpur village in Saharanpur. On November 2, 2017, the Allahabad High Court granted him bail. However, a day before his release, he was booked under the NSA, thus preventing his release. Under the NSA, he was to be detained till November 1.
Chandrashekhar addressed his first rally at his residence in Chutmalpur, a small town near Saharanpur, right after his release. The Bhim Army founder announced an open war against the BJP and asked his supporters to unite and work together to root out the Narendra Modi-led government in the 2019 General Elections. Taking on BJP President Amit Shah, Azad said, "They dream of being in power for 50 years, we will uproot them from power in 2019 and the BJP will not be able to even stay in the opposition."
However, while speaking to India Today, he said he had no plans to contest elections anytime soon – but he will campaign for the SP-BSP alliance to defeat the BJP. Chandrashekhar, who has been a great follower of BSP founder Kanshiram, calls the BSP chief Mayawati his 'bua'.
However, BSP supremo Mayawati ruled out any coalition with Azad – and declared she has no relation with him either.
This political war is writing a new narrative in Uttar Pradesh, particularly in the Western part of the state, where BSP Chief Mayawati is eyeing the same vote bank where Azad has gained massive support.
Chandrashekhar got massive support from his community during his 15 months in jail .
Villagers in Shabbirpur still cannot forget the event of May 5, 2017. Shyam Singh, a 65-year-old Dalit farmer, says he was attacked while coming back from town. Singh says the divide within the local society has become deeply rooted.
Many houses were set on fire during the ensuing violence. 68-year-old Jagmati, a Dalit women, says she is yet to receive the compensation promised by the government. Shrikant, a Dalit man, says he got a compensation check which was incorrect - and it never came back to him after he sent it for correction. More than the compensation, Shrikant is pained that no one from the administration or the government tried to resolve the differences between both the communities. He says nothing can wash away the bitter memory of violence that was perpetuated against them last year, alleging that ever since the BJP came to power in UP and the centre, the upper caste community has been trying to dominate them.
Many young boys from the community had fled, due to the police crackdown. But things are slowing returning back to normal with people trying to get back to their life. Most of them have joined the Bhim Army and are supporting Chandrashekhar Azad, who they believe is fighting for the community.
Suraj, a young Dalit man, alleges the government considers the Dalits anti-social elements and ill-treats them, resorting to lathi charges if they protest against the system. Dilip, another boy from the community, questions the imposition of NSA against the Bhim Army chief.
So, what has really changed amongst the Scheduled Castes?
Suraj says ever since Azad was booked under NSA, the Dalits are uniting themselves. Dilip says the Dalit community is mobilising itself like never before and are supporting Chandrashekhar wholeheartedly.
Moreover, youth from the community believe they are now a powerful political force. Akhil says it was this unity that defeated the BJP in Kairana after Chandrashekhar appealed to the community to vote in favor of the Mahagathbandhan candidate in the by-polls.
Sonu, a young man, was also booked under NSA along with Chandrashekhar. His mother, Rambati, with tears in her eyes, says her innocent son was picked up by the cops at midnight, leaving his wife and 4 kids with no one to support them. At the other end of the village, Rajput women are happy as their sons have returned too after getting bail in the violence case. However, they believe Dalits are still in jail because they were the ones who apparently triggered the clash.
As an impact of Chandrashekhar's arrest, the community started mobilising both socially and politically. The Bhim Army has started running 'Jai Bhim Pathshalas' in many villages, where they give free coaching to Dalit students from classes one to 12. These classes are held regularly. Preeti, a teacher in the pathshala, says she supports Chandrashekhar and wants to empower the kids from the community.
Who is Chandrashekhar Azad and how did he came into the limelight?
To find out, we traveled to a village called Ghadkoli in Saharanpur.
In 2016, a clash between Dalits and Jats took place, following a vandalised Ambdekar statue in the village. That was when a man with his group of supporters came out to fight for the Dalits. The group was named 'Bhim Army' and the man was Advocate Chandrashekhar Azad. The Dalits of the village even changed the name of their village after the incident.
Harish, a resident of village Ghadkoli, says after Chandrashekhar's arrest, the Dalits united and voted against the BJP in the Kairana by-polls. He says the Dalits are angry as Azad had apparently been falsely implicated under NSA while other accused persons were reportedly roaming free. Most Dalit families in the village have joined the Bhim Army and the group is gaining support by the day.
Tinku Baudh, village head of the Bhim Army, says Azad has often asked him to make the Dalits more socially aware.
Chandrashekhar Azad is now their icon. Saharanpur district Bhim Army president Kamal Walia says the message Azad has given is to unite the Dalits - and educate them. Walia's younger brother was shot dead in May 2018 during the Maharana Pratap Jayanti event.
The Bhim Army is growing gradually, with people from the community coming out in Azad's support even while he was in prison. He has changed important political dimensions from within the central prison and is now giving a headache to the ruling dispensation ever since he announced open political war against the BJP