Opinion Manoj Tiwari writes: Corrupt okay as MPs, not Bhojpuri actors. It’s elitism

In July 2012, Modiji addressed a Bihar Shatabdi Mahotsav in Surat, which I attended. He was all praise for Biharis at the meeting and had a vision for Bihar. I was highly impressed. It was then that I started gathering support for him. Even while in college, at BHU, I was in the ABVP.

The Bhojpuri film industry, already moved by nationalism, was also impressed with Modiji. We were convinced that he should take the lead and become the PM. Social media was then not as it is today, so wherever we went for shows or functions, we would try to convince people that the country now needed Modiji.

Then came 2014. I was in the BJP by now, and given ticket from North East Delhi. The same year, Ravi Kishan, who was in the Congress, contested from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh. The reel life rivalry from the Bhojpuri film industry now became political rivalry. Newspapers had regular columns on who got which movie, who replaced whom etc. I won and he lost. By now I had mostly given up working in the movies. One day, while we were both on a TV debate on Star News, I told Kishan that, after the show, he should join my party. What I meant was a feast at my home. He thought I am talking about the BJP, and true to his witty self, said, “Sachchi (truly)”.

Thereafter, I would often tell him that you are the right man in the wrong party, and he eventually made up his mind to move. I put the proposal before our then party president Amitji, and his joining the BJP was finalised. He campaigned for us in MCD and other polls, but was restless. He would tell me, ‘Yaar kuchch karwao (Do something for me)’. Then came the 2019 polls, and I got to know that we are searching for a candidate from Gorakhpur as Yogiji had become the CM and the seat had become vacant. I told our president, ‘Sir, could Ravi be an option?’. I could see a spark in his eye, and his candidature was soon announced.

Life is strange. I lost Gorakhpur, and after 10 years, the ticket was given to someone I recommended, and he won. Thanks to Modiji and Yogiji who gave him a chance.

The case of Nirahua (Dinesh Lal Yadav) is different. He even as an actor was ideologically with the BJP. I heard him support most things the party stood for. He joined in 2019, his coming very natural.

After Nirahua’s win (from Azamgarh, a seat held by Akhilesh Yadav as MP), I see many people sharing memes, making fun of our Bhojpuri identity, and putting up our posters and movie scenes with an intent to make fun of us. After all these years, I have understood all this comes from an elitist mindset. These are the people who would accept English-speaking persons as MPs, even if they are corrupt, but they will mock Bhojpuri actors.

And this is what we are here to change. The roles we do is because our characters are ordinary people, our viewers are ordinary, poor people; and because we understand their psyche, issues, we are here to make changes in their life. We are here to challenge this elitist mindset, where you make fun of a chaiwalla becoming the Prime Minister. Now when Bhojpuri artistes meet me, they talk to me more of politics than cinema. They think I am the gateway into the party. In coming times, you will see more artistes in the party. Bhojpuri industry is dominated with people with nationalist ideology.

I saw it as my duty to help people during the migrant crisis (after the Covid lockdown). I have fought for the Chhath festival in Delhi, cleaning of the Yamuna that has been ignored by the AAP government, and ensured that no one can beat a migrant and get away. Once Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was reported to have said that ‘500 ka ticket le ke aa jatae hain (Migrants buy a Rs 500 ticket and come)’, we strongly opposed it. No one in Delhi’s politics can now dare say such things. So when you empower a person from the community, you also empower the community.

The writer is MP, North-East Delhi, and former Delhi BJP president as told to Abhinav Rajput