Kabir’s message of communal, caste unity lost in cacophony of poll campaigns
Like at most places, the election here is all about caste, and the one who gets the matrix right, would emerge a winner, say locals
SANT KABIR NAGAR Amid the campaign din, the peaceful setting on the banks of river Aami in Maghar town here is a picture of a welcome contrast, where a temple and a mosque have co-existed in perfect harmony along with Kabir’s mausoleum and ‘samadhi’.
Saint Kabir, who grew up in a family of Muslim weavers but became a disciple of Hindu saint Ramananda, chose to spend his last days in this town, apparently to dispel the myth that ‘those dying in Maghar rotted in hell’, said Rajendra Das, priest of the Kabir Samadhi.
It was from here at Maghar that Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his 2019 Lok Sabha campaign to underline the importance of the place, which is a prime destination of ‘Kabirpanthis’ (believers in Kabir).
“Jaat nahin Jagdish ki, Harijan ki kahan se hoye, jaat paat ke beech mein, doob raha sansar (the Almighty and his mortals have no caste, the world is embroiled in the class, status divide),” reads one of the many Kabir couplets on way to his ‘Mahaparinirwan Sthal’ or the place where he breathed his last.
But it doesn’t take long to figure out that Kabir’s message of communal and caste unity now is clearly lost in the cacophony of political campaigns.
“Like at most places, the election here is all about caste, and the one who gets the matrix right, would emerge a winner,” explained Mangulal Kannaujia, a dalit from Bakhira locality dominated by the Nishads or members of the riverine community.
“These politicians see us no more than caste vote banks. Kabir Das ji was for communal amity and would criticise all ill practices,” said Kannaujia, as he recited another Kabir couplet to make his point.
“Sadhu bhaya toh ka bhaya, bole nahin vichar, hatey parai atma jeebh baandhi tarwaar (what good is the saint who speaks without thinking. He hurts another soul with a tongue as sharp as sword),” Kannaujia said, citing Kabir to indicate how the message from the saint’s couplets that are packed with deep meaning is completely lost on politicians.
“I often come here to the Kabir Samadhi and meditate. I find peace in the tranquil settings here. But outside, it’s altogether different,” agreed Manish Rai, a pharmacist in the district named after the illustrious saint.
The BJP has repeated its sitting MP Pravin Nishad, a mechanical engineer and son of BJP’s ally Nishad party chief Sanjay Nishad, a minister in Yogi 2.0, against Samajwadi Party’s Laxmikant alias Pappu Nishad, who belongs to Nishad-dominated Mehdawal assembly segment of Sant Kabir Nagar Lok Sabha constituency. The BSP has fielded Nadeem Ashraf, a Muslim, but going by the popular view, it’s going to be a straight Nishad vs Nishad contest here, a first in decades.
The contest has its own meaning given the fact that in 2018 Lok Sabha by-poll, it was Pravin Nishad, the SP pick who, backed by the BSP and RLD, had defeated the BJP in Gorakhpur, the reason why the BJP was quick to make amends and win over Nishad Party chief Sanjay Nishad in 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Ever since, the SP has been pushing hard to counter the Nishad Party with its own riverine candidates - an element that makes the Nishad vs Nishad contest more interesting.
“Oblivious to the saint’s teachings, the theory that these parties are banking on is to hold on to their base vote and attract others,” said Kannaujia, a graduate who runs his own general merchant shop in the locality.
A short distance away, Pravin Nishad is campaigning in Bakhira, a Nishad locality along with two locally influential Brahmin leaders - BJP lawmaker Anil Tripathi and former lawmaker Digvijay Narain alias Jai Chaube.
“This is perhaps a first in a long while when none of the mainstream parties have fielded any Brahmins, who barring a couple of polls, either emerged winner or fared within the two next best candidates ever since this constituency came into being in 2008,” explained Jyotir Dube, a retired teacher from Khalilabad Bank Road area.
Bakhira is part of Mehdawal, from where SP-Congress joint candidate Laxmikant Nishad ‘Pappu’ hails from.
Dubbing Pravin Nishad as a ‘bahari (outsider)’, Pappu’s campaign group also includes Brahmins and Muslims. “It’s time Sant Kabir Nagar joins the clamour for change,” he said during the campaign.
“The outsider charge is a bogus one. I am getting my house constructed here. In the last five years, my opponents couldn’t find anything against me, so they are trying to invent something. This shows they are panicking,” Pravin countered.
Interestingly, BSP’S Nadeem Ashraf, who is pitching BSP as the best alternative, is among those Muslim candidates fielded by party chief Mayawati in many east UP seats like Ambedkar Nagar, Shravasti, Maharajganj, Domariaganj and Azamgarh in constituencies where Muslim-OBC or Muslim-Dalit equations are at play.
Laxmikant doesn’t waste time in dubbing the BSP as the ‘BJP’s B team’. But this isn’t part of the larger political discourse here as the contest and thus the consequent political slugfest is largely limited to BJP and SP-Congress.
Campaigning in Sant Kabir Nagar despite chaos ahead of his rally, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said, “I have heard that people are not going to rallies of rival parties and are even making cops sit among audience in plain clothes.”
The BJP is mounting a heavy-duty campaign in the area with Union home minister Amit Shah scheduled to arrive in Sant Kabir Nagar on the last day of the campaign.
Sant Kabir Nagar along with 13 other constituencies in UP goes to polls in the sixth phase on May 25. UP BJP general secretary (organisation) Dharampal Singh also visited the area to finalise party strategy in this seat where subtle psychological ploys are also being attempted by candidates. If SP is hurling the ‘bahari’ charge at BJP pick, the BJP has deployed its ally Sanjay Nishad to convey to the riverine community the ‘clout’ he wields in the government.
“Mantri ji ko bhi alag se helicopter mila hai ... samaj ye dekhkar khush hota hai ki unke beech ka aadmi aaj bade netaon ke barabar hai (the minister has also got a helicopter. The society feels happy to see one of their own having risen to such position of authority),” said Shravan Kewat, who was seen attending a rally by Sanjay Nishad.
“You must decide if you need an MP who belongs to ‘vyavahaar wali sarkaar’ or one who belongs to ‘talwaar wali sarkaar’. The call is yours,” Nishad had been saying in his rallies.
Sant Kabir Nagar has rarely, if ever, elected the same candidate consecutively, the reason why the SP-Congress candidate is buoyant. But the BJP is banking on its “educated” candidate and the party’s heavy-duty campaign. “A Modi rally on Sant Kabir Nagar-Basti border is just the last-minute push that BJP pick needs to cross the line here,” said Shyam Dev, a sweetmeat seller, adding he would offer sweets on discount on June 4, if his party’s candidate wins.
In 2009, BSP’s Bhishma Shankar Tiwari had won from here, in 2014 it was BJP’s Sharad Tripathi while in 2019 it was Pravin Nishad who won on BJP symbol from here.