Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan wants to take the fight to Delhi
Bhim Army founder dreams of a Dalit uprising that will clinch power at the Centre.
The celebration in Saharanpur’s Chhutmalpur has just begun. The man of the moment is Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar Azad ‘Ravan’, who is out on bail.
“Have faith in me,” Bhim Army founder tells a gathering in the chaupal outside his house. “I don’t make random and baseless statements. In a year and a half, I will form an organisation equal to or bigger than the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The country will run as per the ideals, as it should have.”
In an interview with Newslaundry, he says the 16 months in jail have made him more resolute and determined about his political and social goal. Chandrashekhar says he will work towards dethroning the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has a dream of clinching power at the Centre. The advocate and Dalit activist spoke about his life in jail, his political options and why he is declaring war against the BJP and Sangh Parivar.
The Bhim Army founder was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police in the aftermath of protests and arson triggered by inter-caste violence in Saharanpur's Shabbirpur village in May, 2017. Chandrashekhar had organised a rally in Delhi where he announced that he will surrender in front of the police. He says both the Delhi police and UP police refused to arrest him initially. When asked why he went underground after the Delhi rally, he said, "My sources told me that the UP police intends to kill me in an encounter."
Though Chandrashekhar refers to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo as “Buaji”, Mayawati, in a presser after his release from jail, lambasted the Bhim Army founder: “The one involved in the caste violence against Dalits in Uttar Pradesh’s Shabbirpur village and now released on the bail, which is part of the BJP’s strategy is now using my name. He is calling me Bua and claiming of blood relation. I can’t have any wholehearted relations with people like these.”
When asked to respond to Mayawati’s criticism of the Bhim Army, Chandrashekhar says, “I don’t hold any grudge against her. She might have been misled about me or someone might have provoked her against me. She is my buaji, she has all rights to speak about me. Ye humare parivarik rishtein hain. Ghar ke maamlon mein hum doosre logon ko nahi involve karna chahte [this is an issue within the family, and I refuse to involve outsiders in it].”
Speaking on the role of non-Dalits in his Dalit uprising, he adds, “This is a Bahujan movement.” He further added, “When the national committee [of Bhim Army] will be declared, you will see people from the Bahujan community in key positions. It will be run by people from the Bahujan Samaj.” However, he says there can be space for anyone who wants to work for the cause.
One thing that he is very clear about is his goal ahead, that is, the expansion of Bhim Army. “My fight is against the BJP,” he says when asked whether he is up against the state government or the Centre.
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HN Valley Project water purification: Chikkaballapur bandh receives moderate response
Chikkaballapur: The bandh called for Sunday by organizations demanding the authorities to undertake third round of purification of water under the HN Valley Project received moderate response from the locals.
Members of the Permanent Irrigation Struggle Committee, pro-Kannada organizations and various farmers’ organizations complained that the state government has taken no decision on the issue related to the project related to the supply of water from the Hebbal-Nagawara lakes of Bengaluru to the lakes in Chikkaballapur.
Shop owners stayed their business keeping their stores closed for the day in support of the bandh. Traffic movement went on as normal. Police security was beefed up for the day to prevent any untoward incident amid the protest.
The members of Jeevajala Jagruti Vedike led a procession in town and shouted slogans demanding purification of water under the project.
BJP leader Sandeep Reddy, who spoke on the occasion, criticized the state government for taking no initiative to provide pure water and demanded the start of purification of water immediately.
