‘Nishads out as OBC, should get SC nod… Not OBC or SC, call me leader of fishermen’: Sanjay Nishad

How is the Nishad Party’s preparations for the Lok Sabha polls proceeding?

As part of NDA, we will contest Lok Sabha elections under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has developed a new identity for India globally. Modi wants the people of lower strata to head towards growth and development – and the same is the agenda of Nishad Party.

We shared the seats strategically in 2022 UP Assembly polls and our alliance won several seats where the BJP had never won earlier. On the same lines, a strategy has been worked out to contest together and win all 80 Lok Sabha seats of UP. I am working like an advocate for the fishermen community. The Modi government sanctioned Rs 26,000 crore for development of this community in six years, whereas the Congress governments had sanctioned only Rs 3,000 crore in 67 years…. Modi ji says, “Jai Nishad Raj”. Because of all this, my community is feeling proud and happy. Other parties only took votes of Nishads but did nothing for their uplift. When we joined NDA, it increased our “maan, samman aur swabhiman” (pride, honour and self-respect) and provided “roti, kapda aur makan” to the community.

Recently, you wrote a letter in blood to the Nishad community to say that you are dedicated to them. What compelled you to take such a step to convince your own community?

The community has trusted me and regarded me as an advocate for their issues and made me capable to raise their matters before Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. My entire life is dedicated to their development. The only purpose of writing the letter was that I am giving my blood and you give vote to Modi ji because he is the judge and as your advocate I have presented before him all the evidence related to your reservation issues. You all should support the judge (Modi) and not go against him, stay disciplined and vote for him so that he can deliver the judgment in your favour.

It was charged that you resorted to the move amid one-upmanship among the Nishad leaders from different parties in a bid to project yourself as the community’s “tallest leader”.

No, it was not done with such an intention. As a leader, I have got elected MLAs who raise the issues in Assembly. I am a member of Legislative Council. MLAs of my party will raise the issues as per its agenda. Leaders, MLAs and MPs of other parties, even if they are from my community, will raise their voice as per their parties’ policies. Leaders of my community were in the SP, BSP and Congress but they did not raise their voice. The community got a voice and their issues were raised when Nishad Party was formed.

There were leaders from the Nishad community in BJP too. Didn’t they raise the issues?

Never. Because they speak in the House as per the rules. Time is allotted to the parties and hence they raise the voice as directed by their parties. My party’s policy is to raise the voices of the fishermen community. So my leaders raise specially the community’s issues.

Are you preparing to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on your party’s symbol?

Now “bhojan bhari thali” (plate laden with food is the Nishad Party’s symbol) is lotus (the BJP’s symbol) and vice versa. Both are one now. But when election will be contested on our party’s symbol then our leaders will reach Delhi. Praveen ji (Praveen Nishad) became MP on BJP’s symbol. But now if he becomes MP on the symbol of “bhojan bhari thali”, he will be the advocate for our party in Delhi. Then the community will feel proud. And the party MP will be able to raise specially the problems of the community. After UP Assembly and Legislative Council, I want our party symbol to reach Lok Sabha.

Has BJP agreed to give you seats to contest on your party’s symbol?

Anupriya Patel ji (Apna Dal-Sonelal president) has already won on her party’s symbol. Seat-sharing is not any issue. We work for “jeet” (win) and not for seats. They (BJP) are elder brothers and will give seats according to our strength to win. They will give seats. We are chalking out a strategy for win. In 2022 Assembly elections, I had got 15 seats. 11 of them were not won by BJP in the past. We contested on five seats on their symbol (BJP). Three Nishad candidates were elected.

With Om Prakash Rajbhar’ SBSP now joining the NDA, will it shrink the space for your party in UP? Are you feeling uncomfortable with BJP getting new allies on board?

When power comes, it makes one fly higher and a longer distance. Earlier, Anupriya ji was the BJP’s only ally. When I joined BJP, it did not make her weak. It made her stronger. The Commission for Backward Classes was formed after I joined the alliance. So now when Rajbhar has come, we three allies will be able to get more strength for addressing the issues of our communities concerned. Our target is – “330 paar, NDA ki sarkar” with a win in all 80 seats in UP.

What is the current status of the Nishad community? Is it in OBCs list or SCs list?

We are already in SCs list with the name Majhwar. But our name was included in OBCs list in 1991, which was wrong and unconstitutional. On December 31, 2016, during the SP government, then Governor removed us from the list of OBCs through a notification. So, now we are not in OBCs list. Hence, we should now get SC certificates.

But you are still called an OBC leader. Are you an OBC leader or SC leader?

Call me a leader of fishermen.