The BJP on Monday pressed into service all its prominent Brahmin faces in Uttar Pradesh to contain the political damage caused by murder of 38-year old Apple executive Vivek Tiwari by two police constables, an event described as “symptomatic of the harassment of Brahmins by the Yogi government” by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati.
Mayawati has, during the 2007 Assembly elections, successfully wooed the Brahmins, a formidable force comprising about 11 per cent of the electorate in UP to form a rainbow coalition of Dalits and Upper castes to form a majority government in the politically-critical Hindi heartland State.
She seized the moment on Monday to make a political point in aftermath of a trigger-happy policeman gunning down an upper caste corporate executive in the intervening night of September 28-29.
Speaking to reporters, the BSP National President charged the Yogi government of “harassing” Brahmins.
Protests in Madhya Pradesh
Citing the murder of Vivek Tiwari, the BSP chief said that punishing lowly police constables was not sufficient and the State government should also penalise the senior officers for their negligence.
The BJP, in the meantime, is already on the defensive with its upper caste vote bank, while protests are mounting in the neighbouring and poll-bound Madhya Pradesh where Brahmins, Thakurs and OBC community leaders have been holding a series of rallies and marches against the Centre passing an amendment in the SC/ST Act reversing the Supreme Court order.
The umbrella organisation of upper castes and OBCs, commonly called Samanya Pichhda Alpsankhyak Kalyan Samaj (SAPAK), has raised a series of demands including annulling reservation in promotions for SCs and STs.
Damage control mode
In this context, the BJP is more than conscious of the political cost of the murder of an upper caste executive at a multinational firm at the hands of the local police. Hours after the murder, the outburst of the traumatised widow Kalpana against the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ran warning bells across the party and government.
The MLA from Lucknow (East) and cabinet minister Ashutosh Tandon beat a hasty retreat when he went to commiserate with the family on September 29 and faced a hostile crowd. This triggered a round of brainstorming after which the BJP employed more prominent Brahmin leaders. The MLA from Lucknow (Central) and Law Minister Brajesh Pathak was deputed to win over the family. Pathak duly complied, standing for three hours with the family members during the cremation of the slain executive.
Pathak then proceeded to blame the police and district administration for attempting to “cover up the murder”. He said that he was ashamed of what had happened and would personally ensure that none are spared.
Following in the same track, another Brahmin MLA representing Shahbad in Hardoi, Rajni Tiwari, spoke up for the community. In a letter to the Chief Minister, Tiwari demanded action against Lucknow district magistrate and senior superintendent of police for their “dubious and biased” role in the murder of Vivek Tiwari.
Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, escorted Vivek Tiwari’s family from their New Hyderabad residence to the CM’s official residence this morning for the much awaited meeting. The CM followed up, conceding every demand of the young widow Kalpana Tiwari who emerged from her meeting with the CM appearing content with the government’s response.