Parties Using Backward Castes As "Vote Bank", Says Rebel BJP Lawmaker

Rebel BJP Member of Parliament Raj Kumar Saini on Sunday hit out at various political parties accusing them of using OBCs, backward classes, poor and farmers as "vote bank", but dumping them after coming to power.

The lawmaker from Kurukshetra, who on Friday announced his new political party 'Loktantra Suraksha Party' and formally launched it on Sunday, claimed that there was no improvement in the condition of backward classes, OBCs, poor and farmers in the country despite different parties promising to work for their welfare.

"Over the last seven decades, the OBCs, backward classes, the poor and farmers have been used as vote bank by various parties. Now the time has come to stand up and ensure that they get justice," he said addressing the 'Loktantra Bachao' (save democracy) rally.

He said the country needed to get rid of "politics of hypocrisy".

Known for his strong anti-Jat stand, Mr Saini reiterated that he was not against reservation for any community and was in favour of taking all sections along.

Mr Saini, who has been projecting himself as a prominent OBC leader targeted the Congress, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and even the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"People gave 12 chances to Congress during different elections over the years, but they betrayed their trust and discriminated against them each time they came to power," he said.

Accusing the INLD and Congress of promoting nepotism, he went on to criticise the BJP for "appeasing" Jats and "kneeling" before them during the quota stir two years ago.

The backward classes had voted for the BJP in the Lok Sabha and state assembly polls, but the party failed to address their issues, he claimed.

He also referred to the violence during the February 2016 Jat quota agitation in Haryana that left 30 persons dead, alleging that shops and commercial establishments of a particular community were singled out in the mayhem.

Hitting out at former chief ministers Bansi Lal, OP Chautala and BS Hooda, who came from the predominant Jat community, Mr Saini accused them of promoting "favouritism and regional bias".

Asking people to strengthen his new outfit, Mr Saini said: "I am not here for any CM or PM's post... This is not my fight, but together we have to work to bring a change in the political course where infringement of rights of socially marginalised will not be allowed."