CHANDIGARH, India: Mr. Kashi Ram, President of the Bahujan Samaj Party announced here yesterday that his party would contest the Haryana elections and appealed to the workers to start preparing for the campaign He said that his party would not repeat the earlier folly of not contesting the election. His party will support the Akali Dal candidates in the State.
Mr. Kashi Ram also stated that members of his party would stage a Dharna in front of Parliament against rigging of votes by Congress (I) in the recent elections in Uttar Pradesh to be followed by a procession to the Election Commissioner’s office where a memorandum will be submitted to the Chief Election Commissioner of India. A deputation of the party led by Kanshi Ram will also submit a memorandum to President Zail Singh demanding an enquiry into this rigging case in which the members of Central Reserve Force were allegedly involved in backing the ruling Congress (1) candidates. He said that he had apprehensions on this ground which materialized later in the form of Congress (I) workers indulging in Tagging. But the Election Commissioner did not take any steps to prevent it. The Election Commissioner even did not care to appoint any observer on the polling day.
He said his Party, by staging dharna, would Convey to the Parliament that the present violence in Punjab was the result of State terrorism let loose by the Central government as well as by the State government.
He also charged that State terrorism was increasing in Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar also. The government should realize that if it did not respect the Indian Constitution or the law of the land, it could not expect the people to be law abiding citizens. We should unite to form a government through elections which will respect the constitution.
He said that Luck now was not in Punjab but the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi addressed a public meeting from behind the bullet proof glass enclosure. If the Prime Minister of the country is not secure how could 80 crores of its Citizens feel’ secure, he alleged. He said that about Rs. one crore was wasted on Rajiv Gandhi’s security in one day. He said that ‘Punjab government led by Suit Singh Barnala did not fulfill the promise made to the B.S.P. during the 1985 elections. The Akalis promised to give loans to poor people up to 5,000 rupees but the first step could not be taken in spite of the protests lodged by his party.
Apparently foreseeing hostility, Mr. Kanshi Ram refused an interview and criticized Brahmins and Banias who own newspapers in India. They are the oppressors of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes and want to keep them oppressed, Mr. Kanshi Ram said that the time has now come when the people were not toady to be suppressed by state terrorism and have started repaying in the same coin. That is how the terrorism was born in Punjab Region.
Mr. Kashi Ram was addressing the first time State level conference of B.S.P. organized here. About 50,000 persons from various backward as well as scheduled castes participated. 50% of the gathering wore turbans and a large number of women also came to attend the conference. The conference was unlike other political conferences which are attended by uninterested people who are usually brought in hired vehicles to the conference site, The participants themselves paid for the transport for coming to Chandigarh even from far off places like Ferozpur.
Kanshi Ram was the last speaker when came on the stage to deliver the speech the audience raised the slogan “Desh Ka Neta Kaisa Ho, Kanshi Ram Jaisa Ho”. After that there was pindrop silence. Mr. Kanshi Ram who is a good orator spoke in Punjabi and set the audience laughing with his satirical but venmous words against Brahmins, Pandits and Banias. He said that press of the state has not covered his vigorous campaign in Delhi and other places. However, when pressed on the issue of membership of his party he said that he had stopped counting his membership after it crossed several crores. Two years ago there was only two lakh life members in Punjab, there were 70 lakh voters in Uttar Pradesh. Recent election results have surprised him as his party achieved 1.25 crore votes. This meant that the Congress (I) secured only 42% votes followed by B.S.P. 26% and all others jointly secured 32% votes.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 10, 1987
