Journalism of Courage
After claiming Dalit icon Bhim Rao Ambedkar as its own, the BJP is now making efforts to make inroads in the politically important community in Uttar Pradesh ahead of Assembly elections in 2017.
The party has now decided to felicitate both the meritorious students from the Scheduled Castes and their parents in public functions.
The party has also planned to felicitate retired Scheduled Caste IAS, IPS and PCS officers at such functions.
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A resolution in this regard was passed in the two-day state executive meeting of the Scheduled Caste Morcha of the state BJP that concluded in Hathras district Tuesday.
Sources said the district units of the party would organise these felicitation function where senior SC leaders such as Union Minister of State for HRD Ram Shanker Katheria and MPs like Savitri Bai Phule and others would be invited as chief guests.
BJP SC Morcha’s state president Gautam Chaudhary told The Indian Express that such SC category students who secured 80 per cent or more in Class X and XII examinations of any board in 2015 will be felicitated. Likewise, SC students who have cracked the pre-medical and engineering entrance examinations with higher ranks would also be felicitated.
“Such events would be held at district headquarters in August and September followed by programmes at mandal level in October and November. Regional level events would be organised in December. Later, a major event would be organised next year on April 14 on Bhimrao Ambedkar’s birth anniversary,” Chaudhary said.
During the functions, the students and their parents would be welcomed with garlands on stage and given appreciation letters for their achievements.
“Retired IAS, IPS and PCS officers would also be felicitated and would be requested to share experiences of their life and service with the gathering so that other people from the community get inspiration from them to provide better education to their children,” Chaudhary said.
He said that the decision of holding such programmes was aimed at promoting education among SC community, which was “also Ambedkar’s vision as he wanted social equality and education for all”.
“If these retired officer will wish, BJP will include them in the party as members. These programmes will connect the party with a large number of people in next few months,” Chaudhary claimed.
Earlier, the BJP had launched week long “Samajik Samrasta Abhiyan” from April 13, a day ahead of Ambedkar’s birth anniversary, in which party’s upper caste leaders had been directed to visit slums and have food with dalits and invite them to their homes.
