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Journalism of Courage
Call it a shot in the dark to drive a wedge into the Bahujan Samaj Party or an attempt to pay off a ‘‘debt’’ to his one-time ally, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Tuesday announced that his government will foot the bills of BSP leader Kanshi Ram’s treatment in India and abroad.
‘‘Kanshi Ramji koi mamuli neta nahin hain (Kanshi Ram is no ordinary leader),’’ Mulayam told mediapersons here, knowing full well that former CM Mayawati is looking after the treatment of the veteran BSP leader.
The Chief Minister indicated that he was ready to talk to Mayawati on the issue, though he was quick to point out, ‘‘Yeh mat samajh lena ki dosti ho gayi (Don’t be under the illusion that we are friends again)’’.
Asked what prompted him to take the initiative, Mulayam said: ‘‘Mujhe kisine patr likh kar kaha tha ki sarkar Kanshi Ramji ke ilaaj ka kharcha uthhaye (Someone had written a letter to me, requesting that the government bear the cost of Kanshi Ram’s treatment).’’ He, however, refused to name the letter-writer.
Mulayam’s announcement comes loaded with political significance, as it has been almost a decade since he took the initiative to break the ice with the BSP, even if for the cause of an old ally.
Sources say, this is an attempt on the CM’s part to woo hardcore BSP supporters who are concerned for Kanshi Ram. The Samajwadi Party had absorbed 35 BSP MLAs who deserted their parent party in August 2003.
And recently, the Sports Minister in Mulayam’s Cabinet and a former lieutenant of Kanshi Ram, R.K. Chaudhari, had led a protest rally in Lucknow, demanding that his mentor be ‘‘freed from Mayawati’s clutches’’. When contacted, Chaudhari told The Indian Express that he had twice met Kanshi Ram’s mother and brothers and had also submitted separate memoranda to the Punjab and UP governors. He welcomed Mulayam’s gesture but denied that he had talked to the CM on the issue.
Kanshi Ram and Mulayam had joined forces in the 1993 Assembly elections, which were held in the backdrop of the Babri demolition. The SP-BSP alliance emerged victorious and Mulayam became the CM with Kanshi Ram’s help.
However, the honeymoon ended very soon. Within two years, the state guest house incident took place on June 2, 1995 and the coalition was thrown into disarray. Taking advantage of the situation, the BJP foisted Mayawati as the chief minister of UP.
