The Samajwadi Party (SP) has expelled former media panellists Roli Tiwari and Richa Singh citing “indiscipline”. It is being said that the action was taken for criticised the party’s member of legislative council (MLC) Swami Prasad Maurya over his remarks on the epic Ramcharitmanas.
Reacting to the development, Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak said that the Samajwadi Party doesn’t want development and only wants to divert attention of people.
The two women leaders had put up social media posts criticising Maurya’s statements that the Ramcharitmanas written by Tulsidas was derogatory towards women, Dalits and tribals and backward classes.
Richa Singh had unsuccessfully contested last Assembly elections on an SP ticket from Allahabad West seat. Roli Tiwari Mishra hails from Agra.
Political Significance of SP’s Expulsion Move
It has been observed that the SP is now gradually making a shift from its focus on Brahmins before 2022 UP polls to trying to consolidate lower caste votes ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Before last year’s assembly elections, Samajwadi chief Akhilesh Yadav was trying to cash in on the BJP’s supposed ‘anti-Brahmin sentiment’ that surfaced after the encounter of Vikas Dubey. A perception in Uttar Pradesh politics was being popularised during that time that CM Yogi Adityanath is “pro-Rajput”; the caste he hails from.
He was also seen offering prayers to Lord Parshuram at a temple “constructed by Samajwadi leaders” in Lucknow. On Purvanchal Expressway, where the temple is situated, hoardings reading “Brahmin ka sankalp, Akhilesh hi vikalp (Brahmin’s pledge, Akhilesh the only option)” had been put up.
Yadav had also said that if voted to power, his party would declare Parshuram Jayanti as a public holiday. However, the efforts failed to garner any results. Hence, before the general elections, the Samajwadi Party seems to be changing its stand again.
Expulsions an SP Plan for 2024 Polls?
Speaking out in support of Maurya, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of caste discrimination. Maurya, who switched to the SP from the BJP last year, was in fact given a promotion to the party’s national executive rather than being ‘punished’ for his remarks.
“I give respect to all religions, but no religion or anyone can have the permission to hurl abuses. I have spoken about banning only a particular portion in which insulting comments have been made on women, tribals, Dalits and backward classes. I have spoken about removing only those parts of the ‘chaupai’,” Maurya later said explaining his stand.
The OBC leader from Uttar Pradesh has objected to the definition of the term, which in ancient texts refers to the ‘lowest’ of the four varnas or castes. Dalits have often been classified as being outside this fifth (‘panchama’) varna.
A report by The Quint quoted Vivek Kumar, sociology professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, as saying, “Scheduled caste communities were considered avarna, or outside the existing varna system. They were considered to be a section of people in Hindu society who are not from the four major varnas, i.e., Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra.
Reports state that the SP is seeing the current moment as an opportunity to woo the Dalits and the OBCs, especially the non-Yadavs and the Most Backward Castes (MBCs).
A report by The Print quoted estimates by political analyst Vignesh Karthik KR and journalist Ajaz Ashraf and stated that the MBCs constitute 21.30 per cent of UP’s population and include 70 castes.
The report further quoted Shashikant Pandey, the political science head of department at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, as saying that a narrative is being set ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“The Jatavs (the dominant Dalit sub-caste in UP) have hitherto been seen to be Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) voters while the Yadavs and Muslims have settled for the SP. The BJP has created a grip on the votes from upper castes, the non-Jatav Dalits, and OBCs including the Kurmis, Koeris, Nishads, Mallahs, etc. However, ahead of 2024, the SP sees an opportunity to reach out to the Dalits and the MBCs, which is why the narrative around the term ‘shudra’ seems to be deliberately created,” Pandey said.
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