UP Congress to Reach Out to Dalits Through Samman Yatra, Party to Celebrate Swabhiman Diwas Tomorrow

As parties are gearing up ahead of assembly election in Uttar Pradesh next year, the ruling and the opposition parties are reaching out to the people in myriad ways. In order to reach out to Dailts, Congress has decided to celebrate Dalit Swabhiman Diwas on Tuesday.

The Congress in UP, which is trying to find its lost political ground in Uttar Pradesh, has already organized conferences related to the castes that play an important role in the state politics. The grand old party has so far organized the Nishad-Kevat-Mallah conference, Maurya-Shakya-Saini-Kushwaha conference and Pal-Gaderia-Dhangar-conference.

Meanwhile, other parties have also started their preparations for the upcoming elections. The ruling BJP is seen giving gifts to the people one after the other besides reaching out to the people with its achievements to create an atmosphere in its favour.

On the other hand, SP and BSP have also started caste conventions and their outreach programmes in view of the political and especially caste equations of the state. Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party are also organizing Brahmin conventions to woo Brahmins.

Under the leadership of the Dalit Cell of Uttar Pradesh Congress, the party will be celebrating ‘Dalit Swabhiman Diwas’ in the entire state on August 3. Along with this, a one-day Dalit Swabhiman Yatra will also be taken out in the entire districts of the state.

“After the country got independence in 1947, on August 3, the cabinet of the country’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru passed a resolution to make Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar the law minister. Due to which the Uttar Pradesh Dalit Congress will celebrate the coming August 3 as Swabhiman Diwas,” Alok Prasad, the state president of the Dalit cell of Uttar Pradesh Congress said.

“On this occasion, leaders-workers and supporters of Dalit Congress will take out Dalit Swabhiman Yatra in all the districts of the state and go to Dalit settlements. The workers will also inform people about how Congress is the first party which had been giving respect to Baba Saheb and the rights to the Dalit community. The party also plans to hold the Dalit Panchayat soon as well,” he added

Earlier this year, SP had announced plans to organise a ‘Dalit Diwali’ on April 14 on the birth anniversary of Ambedkar. Following that, the party had also announced setting up a frontal organisation, Baba Saheb Vahini, named after the Dalit icon.

Meanwhile, the ruling BJP had also announced plans to celebrate Ambedkar Jayanti as Harmony Day. Kameshwar Chaupal, a Dalit leader associated with the party and Sangh’s Ram temple movement, has been appointed a member of the Ram Mandir Nirman Trust in Ayodhya for building the temple, which is part of the strategy of the saffron wing to woo the community, observers say.

Analysts say Dalit voters will play a crucial part in deciding the outcome of the 2022 assembly polls in UP and that is why all parties are attempting to reach out to them. They also maintain that the BSP has lost some of its charm among the community, opening up opportunities for others to step in.

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