BAHRAICH (UTTAR PRADESH): A Samajwadi Party leader on Wednesday claimed that the SP was the first political party to organise a meeting of intellectuals 24 years ago. Almost all parties are organising 'prabudh varg sammelans' as part of their Brahmin outreach programme before the coming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.
"Some people are claiming to be flag bearers of the enlightened classes. Perhaps, they do not know that 'prabudh sammelans' were started way back in 1997 by the socialists from Rae Bareli and addressed by the then defence minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and senior leader Janeshwar Misra," SP state president Prabudh Sabha, Manoj Pandey, told PTI here.
Pandey, who attended the party's 'prabudh varg sammelan' in Mahsi on Tuesday, said after its beginning in 1997, the second phase of these conferences was organised by the SP in November 2018, the third phase in 2020 and now the fourth phase has been started in 2021.
Without taking names, he attacked the BSP and the BJP, who are also organising similar conferences in the state, and said that they are remembering the Brahmins only now.
Pandey said that through these conferences his party is going among intellectuals and Brahmins who gave a right direction to the country as litterateurs, poets, scientists and also as freedom fighters. "We have come out to seek their support. We are happy that people in large numbers are turning up for these meetings and this is an indication of the things to come in the state," he said
Led by its national general secretary and Brahmin face, Satish Chandra Misra, the BSP had organised a series of similar conferences all over the state. The ruling BJP is also holding 'prabudh varg sammelans' in the state.