Mewani meets Bheem Army chief to unite SCs in UP

In a bid to "unite" the Scheduled Caste community and put up a joint fight against the BJP, Gujarat independent MLA Jignesh Mewani met Bheem Army leader Chandrashekhar Azad alias Ravana.

He also expressed confidence that BSP supremo Mayawati and Chandrashekhar would "emerge" as an alternative to the saffron party in Uttar Pradesh.

Mewani met Chandrashekhar at his Chutmalpur residence in Saharanpur district, about 500 km from here, on Tuesday evening and closeted with him for around one hour.

Later speaking to reporters, Mewani accused the NDA regime of "persecuting" the SCs in different parts of the country. "SCs have suffered the most under the present regime," he alleged.

Mewani said the country needed a new alternative today and stressed the need for a united fight to counter the BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Chandrashekhar, who was released recently on bail after spending several months in jail, also vowed to continue his fight against the present dispensation and declared that a public meeting would be held at Saharanpur on October 9.

The Bheem Army chief was arrested in connection with the 2017 Saharanpur violence between the SCs and Thakurs. He has been touring other states to galvanise support for his Bheem Army.

The BJP government in the state had slapped the National Security Act on Chandrashekhar. However, everyone was surprised by the state government's recent move to release him.