Jignesh Mevani, the young dalit leader from Gujarat, is not con-testing the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
But he has already toured 24 states and delivered “provocative” speeches to help “wipe out the RSS and the BJP”. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, he talks about key issues in the elections. Excerpts:
What is your role in the Lok Sabha elections?
My role has to be viewed on the basis of what I have done post-2014. The agitation after Rohith Vemula’s institutional murder, the Una agitation, my electoral victory in Vadgam, the rise of the Bhim army, the Bhima Koregaon protests and the historic Bharat bandh last year, all happened between 2014 and 2018.
It clearly suggests that the dalits are offended like never before. Till date, I have been to 24 states with the single agenda of asking the dalits and the general masses to wipe out the RSS and the BJP. With every passing day, my followers are increasing and I am being invited to places across the country.
As far as my role is concerned, I am satisfied. For the Rajasthan state elections, I began the campaign against the BJP and the RSS much before the Congress did. I got 26,000 dalits in Rajasthan to take a pledge in the name of Babasaheb Ambedkar that they will never vote for the BJP. I have three FIRs against me in Karnataka over the so-called “provocative speeches” against Narendra Modi.
In Gujarat, Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and I exposed the BJP’s development model. The Congress, as principal opposition, should have taken it forward from there. But, it has not done that.
What are your campaign plans?
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