In Lucknow, Shah pays tribute to Dalit reformer

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, April 11

Amid a row over Dalit atrocities and resentment among party Dalit MPs, BJP chief Amit Shah started his Lucknow visit by paying floral tributes to Dalit reformer Jyotiba Phule on his 191st birth anniversary at the Samta Moolak crossing on Wednesday.

He was accompanied by UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP state president Mahendra Nath Pandey. This was the first time that any BJP leader had visited the memorial constructed by the Mayawati regime, which faced criticism for wasting public money on the Dalit memorials.

Later, Shah held a series of meetings at the CM’s 5 Kalidas road residence. He also met RSS leader Shiv Praaksh and held one-to-one meetings with members of alliance partners — Apna Dal and Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party.

These meetings, lasted for almost six hours, were aimed at ironing out the wrinkles between the party and the government and resolving differences between Yogi and his deputy Keshav Prasad Maurya and issues with allies. Shah is believed to have asked the government and the party to work in tandem and send out messages that there are no differences.

Shah reportedly directed the CM and his deputies to pay attention to party workers and their problems while the party has been asked to ensure that the government achievements reach at the grassroots level. He also directed the government to improve the law-and-order situation and act firmly, especially while dealing with cases related to Dalit atrocities.

Sources said transfers could take place to improve the government functioning following discussions that some bureaucrats are “trying to drive a wedge between the party and the government”.