Dalit BJP MP alleges 'discrimination' by UP CM

The BJP was left red-faced after yet another Dalit MP of the party accused the leadership and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of "humiliating" him and sought prime minister Narendra Modi's intervention.

BJP Lok Sabha member from Robertsganj in the state's tribal-dominated Sonebhadra district, about 450 km from here, Chotelal Kharwar has written to Modi stating in detail about his humiliation and discrimination by his party colleagues, including senior state functionaries, administration and Adityanath, and urged him to take steps to restore his dignity.

The Dalit lawmaker said in the letter that the administration had hatched a conspiracy to get him evicted from his house by declaring it forest property.

He also accused his party colleagues of colluding with the rival parties.

"I met Adityanath to apprise him of the matter but he threw me out," Kharwar claimed.

Kharwar's outbursts against the state government and party colleagues came within days after Dalit   saffron party MP from Baharaich constituency Savitri Bai Phule also accused the party leadership of conspiring to scrape reservation.

Savitri also organised a rally here a few days ago in which she expressed similar apprehensions.

Chotelal's allegations against Adityanath, in particular, put the BJP in an embarrassing situation as a similar charge was made a city-based trader as well.  

The trader Ayush Singhal had also accused Adityanath of throwing him out of the latter's "Janata Darbar" after he complained to him that controversial independent MLA Aman Mani Tripathi had illegally grabbed his (trader) precious land.

"Maharajji (Adityanath) ne meri application phenk di...bole tera kaam zindagi mein nahin hoga," (he threw away my application and said that it will not be acted upon in this life), Singhal claimed.

Incidentally, Aman Mani, who is the son of murder convict former Uttar Pradesh minister Amar Mani Tripathi, was himself an accused in the murder of his wife.

He had voted for the BJP in the recently concluded Rajya Sabha biennial polls in Uttar Pradesh.