AHMEDABAD: The ruling BJP, which is opposed to a caste-based census, is using government funds to corner caste-based votes ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat.
A circular issued by the Panchayat Rural Housing and Rural Development department has ordered the participation of specific communities such as ‘Minorities,’ Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and The Other Backward Class (OBC) in the ‘Amrut Kalash Mahotsav' Yatra.
The yatra will be taken out in the state before October 12.
There was no mention of the upper castes in the circular, indicating that the BJP is targeting specific populations with government funds.
The Panchayat Rural Housing and Rural Development department’s circular dated October 5 enunciated the modalities for celebrating 'Amrut Kalash Yatra' in which it has categorically instructed that members of the ‘Minority community’ must be persuaded to participate in the said yatra on October 12.
Women were asked to participate on October 6, Other Backward Classes on October 7, while Scheduled Castes were asked to attend on October 8, Youths on October 9, Scheduled Tribes on October 10, and Farmers/cattle rearers across the state on October 11.
The government has referred to the activity as a "nation-building exercise" and a component of the 'Azadi ka Amrut Mohatsav' program.
Village, taluka, and district panchayats were given a signed circular from the deputy secretary of the panchayat department, Narendra Vaghela. It contains comprehensive instructions on how the yatra is to be run and who must remain present during it.
The Circular stated, “Each and every home in the village and ward must be visited by the yatra, which must also gather a little amount of sand and rice in a Kalash. The finances available with the village, taluka, district panchayats, and municipalities are to be used to pay for these yatras. At every village and taluka level, 75 saplings are to be planted if they haven’t already been there in the past.”
“During every stage of the yatra, the Nodel officer, reporting Nodel officer, and event Nodel officer must all be appointed at each step. Mamlatdar, the taluka development officer, the village sarpanch, the local MLA, and the MP must all participate if the village has fewer than 2,500 residents. In municipalities and municipal corporation regions, prant officers, deputy development officers, council members and other elected representatives, board and corporation’s directors, MP, MLA, must participate if the population exceeds 2,500," the Circular further read.