Dalit BJP MPs up against own party over discrimination

The list of Dalit BJP MPs cornering their own government over Dalit issues seems to be increasing by each day setting off alarm bells for the saffron party ahead of Lok Sabha polls in 2019.

The latest entry in the list is Yashwant Singh, a Dalit BJP MP from Nagina LS constituency in Uttar Pradesh. The total number of Dalit MPs virtually raising a banner of revolt has now gone up to four.

Singh, in a letter to prime minister Narendra Modi, said that the NDA government had not done anything for the Dalits during its four-year stint so far.

''Immediately after my election, I urged you to ensure reservation in promotion but nothing has been done in past four years,'' he said in his letter.

Singh said that it is becoming increasingly difficult for the Dalit public representatives of the BJP to answer the issues raised by the members of the Dalit community.

Earlier Dalit BJP MP from Etawah Ashok Dohre had written to Modi alleging that Dalits were being persecuted in UP after the 'Bharat Bandh' by the police and the Yogi Adityanath government.

A few days back Dalit BJP MP from Robertsganj in UP's tribal-dominated Sonebhadra district Chotelal Kharwar had 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.

Before Kharwar Dalit saffron party MP from Baharaich constituency Savitri Bai Phule had also accused the party leadership of conspiring to scrape reservation.

UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has rejected the allegations that Dalits were being targeted in the state. BJP leaders here have hinted at disciplinary action against the MPs.