JOIN USElectoral war over 'Bandit Queen' Phoolan Devi's legacy erupts in poll-bound UP
An electoral war has erupted over the legacy of Phoolan Devi, popularly known as the 'Bandit Queen', among the 'Nishad' (boatmen, fishermen) community leaders in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.
Apparently eyeing the 'Nishad' community votes, which are the deciding factor in over two dozen Assembly constituencies, mainly in the eastern UP districts, the 'Nishad' outfits, as well as some major political players, have been vying with each other to claim the legacy of Phoolan, who hailed from the same community and was hugely popular among them.
In a bid to prove that it was the only party that had a legitimate claim over Phoolan's legacy, the Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP), an NDA ally in Bihar, had decided to install her statues in different parts of UP ahead of the Assembly polls in the state, which were scheduled to be held early next year.
The police however foiled the plan and seized dozens of statues, which were brought from Bihar by VIP leaders and also arrested a few leaders of the party citing apprehensions of breach of peace.
The party chief, Mukesh Sahni, who was a minister in the NDA government in Bihar, was detained at Varanasi airport when he arrived to take part in programmes to celebrate July 25, the day Phoolan Devi was assassinated, as martyrdom day. He was sent back to Patna on Sunday.
Apparently not to allow any competition, the UP-based Nishad Party, which too was an ally of the BJP in the state, said that some people were trying to 'divide' the community. "The 'Nishads' in UP have chosen their leader and party,'' Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad said on Monday.
Not wanting to be left behind, the BJP and the Samajwadi Party (SP) have also staked claim over Phoolan's legacy and said that they had always tried to protect the interests of the community.
SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav had a few days back unveiled a statue of Manohar Lal, who was considered to be one of the tallest 'Nishad' community leaders in UP, at Unnao. Akhilesh said that SP governments in the state had always given due respect to their community leaders.