Chhutmalpur (Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh): Things are no longer the same on the ground in Saharanpur. The change is also reflected in Chandrashekhar Azad, founder of the Bhim Army. Azad was released from Saharanpur jail at 2:40 am on Friday. His release comes at a time when the political scene is becoming increasingly more active, with parties putting together their heads to work out electoral strategies for next year’s general elections.
Azad is now gearing up to challenge the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) both in Uttar Pradesh and at the Centre. Not only is he planning to firm up his organisational support base, he is also looking to put together strategic alliances to counter the BJP in the next general elections.
The Dalit leader was booked under the National Security Act following clashes between upper castes and Dalits, leaving one dead and many injured in Saharanpur in 2017. Over the last one year, Azad’s popularity has only grown. The pressure of handling the love and expectations of the people is clearly visible on his face. He speaks cautiously, careful not to hurt the sentiments of his ‘samaj’ and the political equations emerging ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Azad’s admirers and followers walked miles to welcome him after he returned home. Wearing a shining cherry red salwar-kurta, 38-year-old Pehli, a daily-wage labourer, walked six km from her village Khubbanpur to reach Chutmalpur on Saturday. A follower of the Bhim Army, Pehli wanted to catch a glimpse of Azad.
She was accompanied by Bineeta and 11 other women from her village, who were given place to sit in the first room, right at the entrance of Azad’s house. As Mahek Singh, Uttarakhand in-charge of the Bhim Army, announced his arrival, the women jumped to their feet and hugged Azad as he stepped into the room.
Women hugging Azad and welcoming him home. Credit: Munish Kumar
In Azad’s small house in Chutmalpur’s Harijan Basti, a half hour’s drive from Saharanpur, there are two posters in the living room, one of Dr B.R., Ambedkar and the other a diverse collage of pictures of Kanshi Ram, Maharishi Balmiki, Jyotirao Phule, Gautam Buddha and Sant Ravidas. In another poster in his mother’s bedroom, Bhim Army office bearers find a place alongside Ambedkar holding a copy of the constitution.
Seventy-eight-year-old Ashawati, part of the group from Khubbanpur, placed both her hands over Azad’s head in blessing. The Dalit leader was wearing a blue shirt white denim pants and a blue scarf around his neck. As the women demand a selfie with him, Azad takes out the black sunglasses hitched to his shirt collar and puts them on.
“Bilkul na badlo hai humao bhaiya. Bilkul waisa ka waisa hai. Bus thoda mota ho gao hai (My son hasn’t changed at all. Just that he has put on some weight),” smiled Ashawati. She points towards the picture on a small sticker placed on the door of Azad’s house, in which he is wearing the same black shades and blue scarf. Both have now become identifying markers of Azad’s personality.
It was Anuj Kumar, Azad’s friend who took this iconic picture, now used by national and international media. Even Bhim Army banners and posters have this picture on them.
A young boy hold a poster with the photograph Anuj Kumar took of Azad. Credit: Munish Kumar
Elam Chand, 77, who claimed to be a Congress leader from Haridwar, said that there have been other changes in Azad. “He is more powerful, smarter and more vocal now. He knows where to speak, what to say and how to keep his ‘samaj’ happy. He will rise like none other. Just wait and watch,” says Chand, who gave his visiting card to Azad. The Bhim Army leader hugged him before putting the card in his front pocket.
Asif Ali, who was visiting Azad with five of his friends, was shocked at how Azad was able to recall his name even though they last met over two year ago. “Ye banda bhoolta nahi kabhi kisi ko. Sab se ek barabar milta hai. Zameen se juda hai or ek din aasmaan chooega (This man never forgets anyone. He greets everyone with the same passion. He is extremely grounded and he will surely touch the sky one day),” says Asif as 200 supporters surround Azad under a small umbrella made up of bamboo and hay, outside Azad’s house. This is where the Bhim Army was founded; and where Azad holds his meetings.
His mother Kamleshdevi, 65, is no less busy than her son. She too is constantly being asked for selfies and bytes. “Mera beta heera hai. Mujhe utna hi naaz hai Chandrashekhar par jitna Chandrashekhar ki ma ko tha (My son is a gem. I am proud of him just like [revolutionary freedom fighter] Chandrashekhar [Azad]’s mother was of him),” said Kamleshdevi, who has named two of her sons after the revolutionaries, Chandrashekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh. Many have also brought up the physical resemblance between the two Azads.
If Chandrashekhar Azad was the name given to him by the family, how did he get the nickname Ravan? Kamal, Azad’s youngest brother, has a theory.
“My brother is as arrogant as Ravan. Ravan was aware that he would lose everything, he would be killed. Still he fought with Ram. My brother too knows that those in power will not let him live. Yet he is fighting them. If this is not ego, what is?” asked Kamal, who got a pat on the back from his mother.
“Ise shaheed hona kehte hain, marna nahi (That is called becoming a martyr, not dying),” says Kamleshdevi who does not celebrate most Hindu festivals and believes that Dalits shouldn’t waste money on ‘Manuvadi’ traditions.
As the footfall at the house increased with every passing minute, Azad took small breaks to talk to media. Between meeting people and media interactions, he repeatedly asked for water. Kamal says Azad fainted on Friday because of fatigue.
People gathered outside the Bhim Army office. Credit: Munish Kumar
The sun was strong and directly overhead when a team from Doordarshan arrived to visit Azad in a car flying the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) flag. A tall man wearing a cowboy hat and another in a grey suit sat with Azad, discussing future plans for the Bhim Army.
“I want to expand the Bhim Army and work for my samaj, which is the most deprived section in India. But I have added one more priority to my list – which is to work on strengthening the mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) to ensure the BJP’s defeat,” says Azad, who turned 31 this year. Responding to talk about his imminent marriage, the Dalit leader says he has postponed his wedding till 2019. His entire focus till then, clarifies Azad, is on the elections.
Earlier, Azad had ruled out contesting elections and said that he will only work behind the scenes. Now, when asked whether he will contest the polls himself, Azad told The Wire that though he does not aim to contest polls, he will if his samaj and his people want him to contest.
“Hum logon se bane hain. Log jo kahenge, karna hi padega (I am what my people made me. I have to do what they say),” said Azad, as a crowd surrounded him, chanting ‘Jai Bhim’.
Azad talks about everything that happened in the last year, the violence that broke out in Saharanpur and since then. But he does not mention his time in Saharanpur jail, where he had been since June 8, 2017. The police booked him under serious charges including rioting, attempt to murder and loot. After the Allahabad high court granted him bail on November 2, 2017, the Uttar Pradesh government charged him under the National Security Act, claiming his release would aggravate the existing tensions in western UP.
“I just don’t want to talk about what has happened in jail because I want to keep the morale of my team high. Their strength will decrease if I will speak about the torture I have witnessed. They will become fearful of prison, despite the fact that those who want to bring change have to make sacrifice,” says Azad, who felt his release was spurred by the government’s fear of being rebuked by the Supreme Court for keeping him in jail without proof for such a long period. He also feels that the Adityanath government released him to gain political mileage.
The Bhim Army, which leaders say has been running over a thousand Bhim Pathshalas in different villages of western UP, has been in the news for the right reasons. Members of the organisation are hugely popular in Saharanpur and nearby areas, the credit for which goes to their networking and management skills. The violence that occurred in Saharanpur during a mahapanchayat against the Shabbirpur clashes was the first case in which Bhim Army members and leaders were charged with violence. However, it is unlikely to be the last time, according to Azad.
People take selfies with Azad. Credit: Munish Kumar
Azad suggests that if the Bhim Army continues to take on the powers that be and fights from front, there could be more cases of violence slapped against him. But for him, what his ‘army’ does is not violence – in self-defence, the organisation is forced to act in ways that are termed as violence. For him, not acting in self-defence is tantamount to violence.
“Hum apke ghar me ghuske betian nahi cher denge. Hum apki fasal nahi jalayenge, apka gharnahi todenge. Magar agar apne aisa kia to hum apko nahi chaordenge (We will not barge into your house and molest your daughters. We will not burn your fields. We will not demolish your houses. But if anyone does all this to us, we will not spare him),” he added.
Besides running schools, Bhim Army is engaged in important political work.
“We ensure no communal clash happens,” he said, adding that the BJP’s only aim and modus operandi is to incite violence, and divide society on the basis of caste.
“Wo dange karake jeetate hain aur hum dange hone nahi denge (They win by inciting communal violence but we will not let violence happen),” he laughed and received a round of applause.
Talking about supporting the grand alliance for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Azad said that he will support every party and alliance that can ensure the BJP’s defeat. He is clear about the power BJP wields now, and believes that no single party can defeat them in 2019.
Azad on the phone in his house. Credit: Munish Kumar
Does he expect a government comprising multiple parties to work for people’s benefits, in case such an opposition alliance can win the elections? Won’t a government of such motley forces be just fighting internal tensions and competitive ambitions of its various leaders? “Yes, I think such a government will work for the people because it will not possess absolute power like Modi, who just appeared on screen at 8 pm one day and announced demonetisation. A coalition government will contend with pressure both from the opposition and from the various allies in its own government. They won’t do things like Hitler.”
Azad also used this opportunity to extend his support to his ‘Bua’ Mayawati, who has maintained a distance from him and his organisation.
“Buaji has struggled a lot and has done a lot for us. We have the same blood. I will follow whatever she will ask me to. We are her followers,” says Azad.
Mayawati, however, has claimed that she will never accept anyone from Bhim Army.
When asked about Jignesh Mevani, the Gujarat MLA who started a campaign to get him released from jail, Azad said that he met Mevani only once during his rally in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, and that he respects him a lot. Mevani had held a press conference in Meerut earlier this year and claimed to be an office bearer of the Bhim Army.
“I am not sure if Jignesh has his own Bhim Army but he has nothing to do with mine. But I will use this opportunity to congratulate him on his victory. Also, I would want to extend my support to my brother and we will surely discuss ways to take our Bahujan movement forward,” said Azad.
According to Azad, the once 10,000-strong Bhim Army now has over one lakh members across the country. Leaders of the group are planning to launch a drive to identify active members and give them responsibilities according to their capabilities and interests. He urged people to connect with seniors to get the correct information, instead of being misled by Facebook posts and fake Twitter handles.
Ishita Mishra is a UP-based journalist.