The case of Lakhimpur Kheri’s attack on a BJP legislator is attracting increasing attention. The beating incident of BJP MLA Yogesh Verma appears to be entangled with caste politics in Uttar Pradesh.
On October 9, 2024, during the Urban Co-operative Bank elections, Advocates Association president Awadesh Singh publicly beat up BJP MLA Yogesh Verma, a video of which went viral on social media – and now the controversy is whether the BJP MLA hasn’t Reports have been filed against the defendants in Tahrir Square.
The reason for the police’s lack of interest in the matter is believed to be that the BJP MP does not belong to the caste currently dominant in Uttar Pradesh. Well, the argument seems to be correct, even though the MLAs of the ruling party were publicly suppressed, not even an FIR was registered.
These things are also important because this all happens before the by-elections for 10 seats in UP – obviously, this will have some impact on the by-elections.
Is UP politics divided along caste lines?
Caste politics seems to be very common in Uttar Pradesh. The issue was raised several times recently after the bullion merchant robbery in Sultanpur and Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav also took the lead against Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Yogi Adityanath.
When Uttar Pradesh police claimed to have killed Sultanpur robbery accused Mangesh Yadav in an encounter, former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the police conducted the encounter on the basis of caste , then another accused Anuj Pratap Singh was killed. He was also shot dead by the police as a result of the encounter.
Then the discussion started that in order to quell the issues arising from the encounter with the Yadav accused, the Uttar Pradesh police killed the Thakur accused – Anuj Pratap Singh’s father said the same, too Akhilesh Yadav’s name was used.
Now, a similar thing is happening with BJP MLA Yogesh Verma in Lakhimpur Kherry – people are also claiming on social media that the police did not even file a report against the accused because the BJP MLA did not Belong to a particular caste.
The BJP MLA is from the OBC community, while the accused lawyer who assaulted the MLA is from the Thakur community. What is happening now is that people from the caste of BJP MLAs are holding panchayat. Supporters of Yogesh Verma also surrounded the district magistrate’s office.
People left the DM office only when Commissioner of Police Ganesh Saha assured that an investigation and action would be taken within two days – the next thing happened was that they took to social media to express support for the MLA accused of attacking Awadhesh Singh.
Karni Sena praises those who beat up MLA!
Rajput Karni Sena posted a poster on social media. People tried to convey the message through posters that Karni Sena was on its way to Lakhimpur Kheri to honor Awadhesh Singh, but then Karni Sena Sena) also turned around.
Arriving at the house of PLA attack accused Awadesh Singh, Kani Sena president Deep Singh clarified that he had only come to inquire about his welfare and had no intention of displaying any kind of authority.
But in fact, the people of Karni Sena were also shouting slogans such as “Sher aaya, Sher aaya” in support of Awadesh Singh. A similar scene is seen during the worship of weapons on the occasion of Vijayadashami.
Amid Uttar Pradesh’s caste politics over encounters and beatings of BJP legislators, the Balaich riots are also political spice for the by-elections.
