Unhappy over the recent “dilution” of the SC/SC Act, former legislator from Banga and senior BJP leader Chaudhary Mohan Lal Banga on Thursday joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) along his supporters.
He maintained that he was upset with the Narendra Modi Government's “anti-poor” and “anti-Dalit” policies.
BSP’s Punjab unit in-charge Meghraj and other leaders welcomed the new entrants into the party. “From a rented accommodation, Banga has come into his own house,” said Meghraj.
Banga said the dilution of SC/ST Act, “at the behest of Modi Government came as a last straw on camel's back. I decided enough was enough. So I joined BSP”.
Supreme Court, on March 20, ruled that the Government servants should not be arrested without prior sanction and private citizens too should be arrested only after an inquiry under the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
In a damage control, the Centre had moved a review petition in the court on Tuesday. However, the Apex Court refused to keep in abeyance its March 20 verdict saying that “no provisions of the SC/ST Act have been diluted”.
Banga was elected as Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA from Banga assembly constituency in 1997 and 2007.
His father Chaudhary Swarna Ram, a BJP leader and former Punjab minister, represented Phagwara seat in 1997 and 2007. The seat was wrested from Swarna Ram by BJP leader Som Parkash, who is representing it now for the second time.
Banga had quit as a member of the Punjab Public Service Commission in October 2015 in protest against sacrilege incidents in Punjab.
He then joined the BJP and was a contender for party ticket from Phagwara ahead of the Assembly elections last year.
At the same time, the BSP leaders said that the party's doors were open to like-minded organisations who would want to give a united fight to the BJP.
“BSP would try to get the support of farmers, workers, small traders to defeat the BJP in the next Lok Sabha elections.
The arrangement between BSP and SP during recent bypolls in Uttar Pradesh has set a new political narrative and trend, paving way for other states to follow,” said Meghraj.