Casting Ambedkar, Udit comes to UP

Mayawati’s latest political rival was born today with Dalit leader Udit Raj floating his party and declaring himself the ‘‘ne...

Mayawati’s latest political rival was born today with Dalit leader Udit Raj floating his party and declaring himself the ‘‘new Ambedkar’’.

Addressing a huge rally at Ram Lila Maidan, with participants from even Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Bihar, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Udit Raj said he has resigned from the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) and will now devote his full time to ‘‘Justice Party’’ — a new political outfit. His initial agenda will be to fight for reservation in the private sector and combat the ‘‘Hindutva’’ forces with Dalit and Muslim supporters.

Seated with him were leaders from his cultural front, the Lord Buddha Club, and the trade union outfit, All India Federation of SC/ST Organisations (AIFSO). Muslims leaders — Maulana Madani of Jamait-e-Ulema-e-Hind and Aijaz Ali from Patna — also declared full support to the Justice Party.

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Unlike previous rallies, where his target was Mayawati and her party, Udit Raj refrained from making any direct comment on the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) this time. The state leaders of AIDSO, however, openly accused the BSP and the UP Chief Minister of strengthening the ‘‘Manuwadi’’ forces.

‘‘The time has come to launch Udit Raj as our leader, who would not betray our support by joining hands with the killers in Gujarat and those who strengthen the caste system and support oppression of Dalits. They are in power because of us. And we don’t want to be cheated again,’’ said the AIFSO representative from Punjab, Jasbir Singh Pal.

Udit Raj, on the other hand, chose to focus on new economic policies that have allegedly sidelined the dalits. ‘‘Privatisation is the new mantra for development. But what is the place for dalits in the new scheme of things? Have we seen any dalit participation in trade, media, industry or any of the sectors that have boomed? We will not prosper unless reservation is introduced in all of them,’’ he said. The Dalit leader said fighting for reservation in the private sector was also a prime factor behind launching his party. Besides, dalits will not prosper if they don’t seize political power, he added.

‘‘A storm was raised over my asking people to convert to Buddhism. But, I ask these proponents of Hindutva, what is there for a dalit in this religion? We are lynched if we skin a dead cow. Even if they were skinning a live cow, was it a reason to kill them? But as Acharya Giriraj Kishore says a cow’s life is more important than a dalit’s life. We have had enough. They can live with their animals and upper castes. The dalits should adopt a religion that gives them social dignity,’’ Udit Raj said.