Founder of Azad Samaj Party
Q: You are leading a Dalit movement. Do you think you could end up harming BSP’s chances in west UP and indirectly help BJP?
A: I am projected as an emerging Dalit leader but I am working towards bahujan ekta. I have fought for various issues like NEET quota, census for the OBC, CAA and NRC. I have set up youth leadership and given the poor an opportunity to work. Leaders like Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati are more concerned about their politics than people. What did Mayawati do for Dalits over the past five years? Holding rallies and asking for votes is not her only job. She should be standing with Dalits. I respect her but I cannot leave the Dalit samaj to die at BSP’s hands.
Q: Your alliance with SP couldn't materialise. What is your opinion of a post-poll alliance?
A: We put in the effort to approach SP to stop BJP from winning. I respect Akhilesh Yadav but I cannot see people from other castes and religions suffering. He cheated me but I re-emerged as a stronger person and set up our andolan. I tied up with various smaller parties and formed the Samajik Parivartan Morcha. Why should people even vote for the Opposition parties? Have they fought for people or protected them from BJP’s dictatorship? Akhilesh is saying that if elected, he will restore the old pension scheme but why didn’t he do it when he was CM from 2012 to 2017?
However, we will see what happens after the elections and whether we can give support to or take support from another party to stop BJP from coming to power.
Q : Your fight is against CM Yogi Adityanath directly. How will your campaign be?
A : Yogi Adityanath was never a frontrunner for the post of CM. He was not even an MLA. BJP asked for votes on the basis of OBCs but made him the CM. An MP from his party has openly said that Yogi misbehaved with him. His other MLAs sat in protest against him. He is a dictator and when people take a stand against dictators, even strong leaders like Indira Gandhi lose.
Besides, Gorakhpur has several problems. Four months of the year it is under water. Inflation, unemployment are Yogi’s gifts to the state.
Q: You are contesting against the Mahant of Gorakshpeeth in his stronghold. What made you take on such a challenge?
A: There is no stronghold for anyone. People decide who will lead them. Look at what the CM has done over the past five years. Can one call this good work? The Hathras rape is an example of what is wrong with the state. The incident itself was horrific, followed by police action in which they deprived the family of the right to cremate their daughter. The government promised the family members a job but nothing has been given.
The government says that bulldozers are being run over the property of criminals but what about those roaming free despite warrants against them because they are close to the CM. Yogi is not a CM but a leader of his Thakur community, as he accepted openly. A CM who talks of 80 versus 20 is not worthy of such a post.
