BJP to teach its leaders how to counter Opposition

Perturbed by the oft-repeated “anti-dalit” barbs by the Opposition, BJP top leadership will be holding a workshop for party leaders to give them lesson in “properly handling” and “deftly countering” Opposition’s attack.

At a time when BJP is preparing for crucial Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, feedbacks that there is a growing perception, in the wake of Opposition’s charges, has left the leadership concerned. Both states have a significant dalit and OBC population. Therefore, BJP top brass has decided to prepare its leaders across the state on how to counter such allegations with facts.

Senior leaders, including Union ministers Arun Jaitley and Ravishankar Prasad, among others will be giving tips and also hold mock TV debates to see the preparedness of party leaders in handling this critical issue. The workshop will be held at the party headquarters on September 19 from 9 am till 5 pm, where leaders — four to five — from each state, would be told among others things about Modi government’s initiatives to benefit and uplift the dalit community.

Efforts by the Modi government in getting the UN to commemorate for the first time “dalit icon” and ‘father of the Indian Constitution’ BR Ambedkar’s 125th birth anniversary, will also be part of the lesson given to the party leaders.

Gujarat’s Una incident, Rohith Vemula suicide, Faridabad dalit killing are some of the incidents over which BJP and the Modi led Central government had been facing flak. However, BJP leaders would be asked to highlight the fact that caste related violence in India is not a trend that came into existence after May 2014. BJP top brass will also ask party leaders to highlight how senior leaders of Opposition parties, including Congress, BSP, Left, AAP, and JD(U) use such “unfortunate incidents” to propagate “tragedy tourism” only when they occur in BJP or NDA-ruled states. Facts and incidents will be given along with official figures to highlight how some of the non-NDA states are infamous for crime against the dalits.

Party leaders will also be asked to project how most of the Opposition parties have been using dalits and OBC only for “votebank politics.”