Lucknow: Bhim army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, who was released from Saharanpur Jail on Friday morning, has vowed to ‘uproot’ the Narendra Modi government in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Azad alias Ravan was imprisoned in June 2017 after being charged under the draconian National Security Act in connection with the Saharanpur caste violence case. Sources had told News18 on Thursday that Uttar Pradesh government has decided to release the Dalit leader as “BJP’s move to reach out to the community ahead of 2019 elections”.
The Bhim army chief received a heroic welcome outside the jail by his cadre members, who had gathered in huge numbers since Thursday night.
“I would like to urge all the Dalits to fight for their rights, no matter if they have to take to streets. Dalits should be ready to take what is given to them in the Constitution. I will continue to urge people to uproot this dictator BJP government,” Chandrashekhar said.
He further said that he has no differences with Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati whatsoever and she is more like ‘Bua’ (aunt) to him. Azad said that she had been ‘fighting for the rights of the Dalits’.
He said that the government may soon frame some charges against him. “Government was so scared that they are going to be rebuked by the Supreme Court, that they ordered an early release to save themselves,” news agency ANI quoted ‘Ravan’ as saying.
“The fight has just begun against the people who have misused the government machinery. The protest of April 2 was non-violent, but how did 11 people die? The BJP is like a double-mouthed snake. They can’t be trusted. Everybody is facing atrocities barring capitalists,” he said, while speaking to media outside the Saharanpur Jail.
According to information, the NSA was withdrawn before time on ‘sympathy grounds’, citing the application by his mother. However, political experts see it as BJP’s attempt to reach out to Dalits, especially as it comes just weeks after the saffron party faced Dalit ire for Supreme Court’s alleged dilution of the SC/ST Act.
The BJP has made a concerted attempt to chip away at caste combinations that are held as key voter base of opposition Congress, Samajwadi Party and particularly the Bahujan Samaj Party after losing the bypoll in Kairana to the joint opposition candidate Tabassum Hasan.
The Bhim Army chief had also announced his support for Hasan. She had won by around 44,000 votes, in a major jolt to the BJP.