UP BJP chief to workers: Have tea with Dalits, make them understand votes are cast on nationalism, not caste

New Delhi, Nov 15: Uttar Pradesh BJP Chief Swatantra Dev Singh on Sunday urged the party workers to have tea with Dalits and explain to them why they should prefer caste to nationalism.

"...Have tea with 100 Dalits and make them understand that votes are cast on the basis of nationalism, and not on the basis of caste, money or region...," news agency ANI quoted the BJP leader as saying at an event.

Reportedly, the UP BJP chief addressed two rallies on Sunday - OBC Samajik Pratinidhi Sammelan (Society Representatives of OBCs) and the Vaishya Vyapari Sammelan (Vaishya Traders Society).

According to him, if Dalits offer tea at home then they are happy with the party, tea with cashew offered, the party's image has grown and if they offer lunch along with tea and cashew, consider that they are associated with the party, he said.

In case if they offer nothing, the party workers should visit the homes of Dalits until they offer at least tea.

His statement comes in response to the Congress' allegations that the BJP had ignored the Dalits and the oppressed are facing atrocities on daily basis under Yogi Adityanath's government. "Dalits, weavers, OBCs, the poor, minorities and Brahmins have been exploited. Ji is running the Govt against the teachings of Guru Gorakhnath. This Govt is attacking people on a daily basis," Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi slammed Yogi.

Dalits account for approximately 21 per cent of UP's population and the BJP had reportedly received their support in the elections since 2014 which helped the saffron party to come to power.

The polls in the UP will be held in early 2022 although the dates are not announced. All the leading parties have started preparing for the polls. As per the recent ABP-Cvoter survey, the BJP is projected to form the next government despite losing over 100 seats in the forthcoming elections.