'BJP distracting attention from real issues, people want change'
Seeking her fourth term as a member of parliament, Samajwadi Party’s Dimple Yadav has several firsts to her credit. She is the first woman in Uttar Pradesh to be elected unopposed to the parliament, and the first MP from the state whose husband was a chief minister. Having won the 2022 bypoll from Mainpuri, which had fallen vacant following the death of her father-in-law and SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, Dimple is now seeking a fresh term from the same constituency. Talking to Neha Lalchandani a day before the end of campaigning for the third phase of election, she said that this time people will vote for change. Excerpts:
What is the most defining point of this election?
I think what stands out is the current situation in the country. The BJP govt is following ‘dabaav ki niti’ (pressure tactics). We have been seeing this for the last 10 years. Farmers want to protest peacefully but they are not given permission. We have seen the use of force against students at JNU and BHU, and against teachers protesting due to lack of recruitments. This govt is not inclined to allow people to raise their voice. It wants no protests. However, the Constitution gives us the right to express ourselves, and the govt is suppressing the right to expression.
How do you think this election will change the situation?
This is the election for change. BJP has started the trend of destroying democracy. See how senior leaders of other parties are being sent to jail. The impact of pressure tactics is being felt in cities as well as rural areas. SP lost three seats of chairperson in Mainpuri in local body polls where record of counting was not available. This should not have happened. Everyone can see how the party in power is trying to manipulate things. People want a change now.
BJP says their agenda for this election is ‘Ram, ration aur shasan’. Do you agree?
Not at all. This is not a religious fight but a political one. This is the struggle for ideology. BJP is not benefitting anyone.
The central govt says it is giving free ration to 80 crore people. Do you think it will affect the electorate at some level?
Compare the quality of food people were getting 10 years ago and what the govt is giving them now. Earlier, they used to get rice, flour, sugar, and kerosene oil. Now they are being given ‘bajra’. The situation on the ground is bad and people are upset as the quality of ‘bajra’ is so bad that it is not even fit for animals. The govt’s aim is not to serve the country but to distract attention from real issues. They do not want to talk about relevant issues.
Having come this far in politics, who have you learnt more from? Netaji (Mulayam) or Akhilesh (husband)?
If we really want to learn, we learn something from everyone around us. Everyone comes with their own special experiences, and we can learn from everyone in life. I am also trying to do that.
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