NDA leaders cancel their pre-scheduled programmes fearing backlash against SC/ST Act

New Delhi, Sep 5: Leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) are canceling their already scheduled programes due to thhe backlash on the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Senior partner in the NDA and Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan, who was supposed to visit the entire country to celebrate the passage of this bill and tell people about this has canceled all his programme fearing backlash.

Its impact is visible from across the country but more in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and some other parts of northern India where elections are scheduled this year. Several ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chauhan government have canceled their programmes especially in the Chambal subdivision. Sports and youth welfare minister Yasodhara Raje canceled her programme of Shivpuri, renewable energy minister Narayan Singh Kushwaha canceled his programme at Ambah, state minister Lalita Yadav canceled her programme at Datia. Not only that security of houses of Union minister Narendra Singh Tomar and another minister Narayan Singh Kushwaha in Gwalier has been beefed up.

Sources said that all engagements of the Ram Vilas Paswan and Chirag Paswan have been canceled not only of Bihar but other states as well. Ram Vilas Paswan was supposed to take this to people as PM's representative. All the programmes have been postpones including Ahmedabad for September 4, Lucknow on September 8, Hyderabad 19, Vijaywada 20 but only the Punjab rally will be held where SC population is highest in the country. All other planned programme of the Ram Vilas and Chirah Paswan stand canceled for indefinite period.

Sources refused to name but programmes of many other leaders also stand canceled. The government has got some intelligence inputs of disturbance from across the country. Moreover, the matter is just not about the forward verses the SC/St but it has become the matter of 78 per cent verses 22 per cent.

Ashok Bharati, chairman National Confederation of Dalit Organisations, told One India that it was for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a call on this issue to see who are protesting against the government decision. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are not the entire country. They are people of the BJP and the RSS who are opposing the PM.

Bharati said that to expose these protesters, the government must release data of Socio Economic Cast Census (SECC) on which the government spent Rs 5000 crore. "The data collected in this census clearly tells total population of Brahmin, Rajput and Baishya is 9 per cent as per my information. Brahmins spread ideological moorings, Rajput flexes mussel power and Baishya finances their cause," said Bharati.

He said that the government will be able to understand that these 9 per cent people don't want development and they are actually against the PM's slogan Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas. As far Other Backward Classes are concerned, they are not in support of this agitation. It is up to the government to deal with people who are just interest in their own development.