Dalit homes, a political 'shelter' for ministers, nothing more

Ministers turning up in Dalit households has become a trend now. Forget the expenses that the household incurs on every such visit, the political gimmick is not going unnoticed. It all started with Rahul Gandhi sharing a plate at a Dalit household before the General elections in 2014. But what was coined as a "picnicking spree" by Narendra Modi was soon adopted by his party members too.

Taking a string from the pro-Dalit hat of the Congress, the BJP too is trying to pose a compassionate face to its otherwise rigid political ideologies, sans the Godra riots.

Amit Shah and Rahul Gandhi cavalcade

Now, BJP National President Amit Shah will be dining with the Dalit and the backward caste villagers in Varanasi after addressing the Sardar Patel Kisan Mahasammelan' in Allahabad today.

Earlier this very month, Shah took a holy dip with Dalit sadhus in Kshipra river at Kumbh in Ujjain.

BJP worker Girija Prasad Bind who belongs to the backward community has offered to host the 50 BJP workers and other residents of the Jogiyapur and adjoining villages for the lunch.

Bind said, "I am making arrangements for nearly 600 people. Food will be cooked at my home. The party is financially supporting me in making the arrangements... My pucca house is being decorated with mango and banana leaves."

This reminds us of a similar stopover by Rahul Gandhi on his way to Jakheri village in Hamirpur district, when he took a detour to Mauranipur to inspect the UPCF outlet.

Vasundhara Raje's adventures

The villagers were impressed by the Royal presence at the village. During the mass connect governance initiative Sarkar Aapke Dwar, chief minister Vasundhara Raje had stopped at Raghunathi Gurjar's house in Sawai Madhopur.

Thankfully, the favour was returned, but after two years when Raghunathi was invited for the regional launch of the Pradhan Mantri Ujwala Yojana at Dahod and given LPG connection along with 15 other BPL women. Call that luck? Certainly, the CM remembered the lady suddenly and called for her ta a short notice.

Note this, that the LPG connection was given in public (for its reference of the government's undertakings for the dalit and the downtrodden).

Gadkari's...oops RaGa's signature move

Nitin Gadkari showed the way to his party members by lunching at a Dalit's house. Perhaps, while showing the way to combat the Congress's gimmicks (sic Rahul's Dalit visits) and become more acceptable to the Aam Aadmi, Gadkari forgot that he was imitating RaGa 'unconsciously'. Or should we say, BJP is giving Congress the taste of its own medicine?

All said and done, our heart goes out to the families who host these ministers with Poori Sabzi and whatever little they are left with, especially when these ministers consider their homes as a political asylum for vote banks, and a stopover in between journies.....sometimes.