In a gruelling 150 minute meeting, BJP president Amit Shah asked party leaders not only to placate workers but also to improve the party’s image which was tarnished by recent Dalit agitations projecting the BJP as anti-Dalit.
In the meeting held at Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence on Wednesday afternoon, Shah asked leaders to hold meetings at Dalit-dominated areas so that they ccould dispel the opposition propaganda of BJP being anti-Dalit.
The BJP chief came to lucknow for eight hours on Wednesday and held meetings at the CM’s residence with ministers and senior leaders while in the evening he met party functionaries at thee state BJP office.
In between, Shah also had a meeting with Suheldeo Bharatiya Samaj Party leader Om Prakash Rajbhar.
Shah’s visit assumes importance as he came to lucknow cutting short his Assembly election campaign in Karnataka.
A senior leader, who attended the meeting, told ‘The Pioneer’ that the BJP chief asked leaders to use April 14 – the birth anniversary of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar – to hold meetings and functions in Dalit-dominated regions.
“The leaders including legislators were asked to spread out and hold meetings highlighting the work being done by the Modi and Yogi governments about welfare of Dalits,” the leader said on conditions of anonymity.
This is the first time that Amit Sahh came to lucknow after parts of Uttar Pradesh were singed in Dalit violence on April 2 that left two dead and scores others injured in police action. The situation took a turn for the worse when Dalit MPs of the party unfurled a banner of revolt projecting the party as `anti-Dalit’. Some MPs even said that an attempt was being made by the government to dilute SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Sources say that Amit Shah spoke in detail as to how the April 2 protests maligned the image of party.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath gave details about his government’s schemes which benefitted Dalits particularly Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana. “These schemes should be publicised,” Shah is reported to have said.
The party president also spoke about workers’ anger against the government working “Why can we not have a system where party workers can have regular interactions with ministers,” Shah asked.
When Yogi informed Amit Shah that the party had a system of `Jan Sunwai’ where ministers used to hold open darbar in the party office, Shah retorted, “If we had a system like this earlier, why can we not implement it now IJ The ministers should ensure that problems of workers should be redressed. They are the bulwark of our strength.”
Sources say that Amit Shah had also showed his annoyance over the working of state BJP president Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey. In his meeting with office-bearers, he asked leaders to aggressively campaign and work in tandem with the government to spread the message of good governance.
“Party comes first and then the government. So, it is mandatory that our party remains active and leaders remain well connected with the masses,” Shah said.
Sources said that issues like reshuffle in government and possible candidates for Vidhan Parishad election were also discussed.