Updated: August 31, 2020 9:17:12 am
Over the past month, various opposition leaders have criticized the state government on the Brahmin issue.
In response to an inquiry to the Assembly by a BJP MLA about the “murder” of Brahmins, their insecurity and gun ownership data, the Uttar Pradesh government sent an unusual letter to all district magistrates asking for details about the number of Brahmins who had applied for and received weapons licenses.
The letter, signed by Prakash Chandra Agarwal, undersecretary of the state Department of the Interior, was sent on Aug. 18 seeking details of the districts before Aug. 21.
Agarwal declined to comment, but a senior official pointed to a backlash from the government, saying the details “are no longer being investigated.”
However, at least one district has submitted the data requested by the letter.
The letter says that Devmani Dwivedi (Lambhua BJP MLA in Sultanpur) had sent a note on Aug. 16 to UP Senior Secretary Vidhan Sabha (Pradeep Dubey) raising questions according to Assembly rules and procedures.
Dwivedi, the letter said, had requested information from the Interior Minister, who is Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on how many Brahmins in the state were killed in the past three years; how many murderers were arrested, how many were convicted; what are the government’s plans to provide security for the Brahmins; Will the government grant arms licenses to Brahmins as a priority? how many Brahmins applied for weapons licenses and how many of them have obtained licenses.
The government’s letter to all DMs requests this information: “Kitne Brahmino ney shastra license ke liye apply kiya aur kitnon ko license jaari hua? … Sambandh mein binduwar akhya evam anupurak samagri shashan ko 08.21.20 tak… e-mail par uplabdh .. karein ”. (How many Brahmins applied for weapons licenses and how many were issued. Please provide this information promptly with supplementary material before August 21, 2020 by email.) “
When contacted by Vidhan Sabha’s chief secretary, Pradeep Dubey, he said: “We did not seek such information from the government and no such question was accepted.”
When contacted, Dwivedi declined to comment. “I have no information on this and am out of touch,” he told The Indian Express.
Over the past month, various opposition leaders have criticized the state government on the Brahmin issue. It gained political momentum after the shooting murder of gangster Vikas Dubey last month in Kanpur, followed by the murder of five of his associates, all Brahmins. Eight police officers, including a DySP, were killed in an attack by Dubey’s alleged associates on June 3.
By the way, representing about 10% of the state electorate, the Brahmins constitute an influential vote bank.
All parties try to woo them. Earlier this month, the head of the BSP, Mayawati, said that if she voted for power, her party would build hospitals named after Lord Parshuram, “the symbol of Brahmin faith and pride.” She also urged the state government not to do anything that might make the Brahmins feel insecure. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also announced that he would build a 108-foot-tall statue of Parshuram.
Recently, Aam Aadmi Party leader and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh said that Brahmins felt harassed in the state and that community members belonging to the ruling BJP were also unhappy. Consequently, FIRs were filed against Sanjay Singh in various UP districts on charges of promoting enmity and trying to break the peace in the state.
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