THE other day, watching the song ‘Suno na Sang-eMarmar’ from the 2014 film Youngistaan evoked a lot of memories. The song was shot at memorials constructed during the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) regime in Lucknow. While watching those memorials in the song, I got reminded of all the controversies and narratives that floated around when these memorials were being constructed. The murals and statues still exist, but the BSP, as analysts, opine, has lost its sheen.
Founded in 1984, the BSP was perceived as a symbol of Dalit emancipation, an assertion by the community. The actions of the party, when it assumed power, were also on similar lines. Monuments, statues and parks were constructed in memory of several Dalit icons. But these days, the party, which once boasted of MLAs in several states such as Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, and Haryana, is now looking for ways of revival.
The BSP tasted power in 1993 as part of the coalition government led by Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. However, the bonhomie did not last for long and Mayawati took oath as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1995. At that time, the BSP had 67 MLAs and a new experiment of rotational CM was introduced with the BJP. Since then, Mayawati has been the chief minister of UP four times. In Lucknow, it was always believed that the BSP is the only party that has a dedicated cadre, disciplined workers and the ability to transfer votes. The party’s fortunes were booming in political circles, but since 2007, the performance of BSP has been declining.
This story is from the August 21, 2023 edition of Outlook.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 21, 2023 edition of Outlook.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
My Secular Mentor
A rare psychologist of Indian culture, Sudhir Kakar leaves behind seminal works that will have relevance for many generations
Battle of the Bahubalis
Gangsters in Bihar no longer enjoy the kind of dominance that they did in the 90s, but that has not kept them away from politics
Memories of Riots
Have frequent communal tensions changed the social fabric of Bihar?
Didi's Achilles Heel
Mamata Banerjee stays the course but her party, plagued by corruption charges, spins out of control
Memory Metamorphosis
What happened on March 14, 2007 in Nandigram? People still ask this question as they take part in the dance of democracy
Minority Report
He has not lost the Dhubri seat in Assam since 2009. Now he is fighting for political survival as Bengali Muslims look to favour the Congress
THE POWER OF PURPOSE
Doing good is good business as it transcends bottom lines and impacts lives positively, yielding profits that go beyond numbers.
CURRENT FARMING METHODS ARE EXACERBATING CLIMATE CHANGE
Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming (APCNF) project is supporting transition of 850,000 farmers covering 377,801 hectares of land and operating in 3730 villages. \"Natural farming is in harmony with nature. It is a holistic land management practice that leverages the power of photosynthesis in plants\", says Mr. T Vijay Kumar, a retired IAS officer, who is the Executive Vice Chairman of Rythu Sadhikara Samstha, a non-profit organization set up by the Andhra Pradesh government in 2014. Since 2016, this platform has been utilized to integrate and promote APCNF activities, aimed at fostering the overall development and empowerment of farmers. Excerpts from an interview with Mr T Vijay Kumar:
IN PURSUIT OF SUSTAINABILITY
Harshavardhana Gourineni, Executive Director, Amara Raja Energy & Mobility Ltd, in an interview shares how through its products and operations the company is helping reduce carbon footprints and meet SDGs. Excerpts:
COOLING NO MORE A LUXURY, BUT A NECESSITY
With the rise in demand of air conditioners due to heat stress, sustainable air conditioning is the way forward to bring relief to people as well as manage emissions