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DALIT DEALS

As Digvijay takes his Dalit agenda to a logical conclusion in thr un-up to the assembly elections, the sincerity of his efforts comes under a cloud, writes India Today's
Neeraj Mishra.

When Madhya Prdesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh recently vowed to send Dalit children to international universities, the promise was meant to prove his seriousness about bringing his Dalit agenda to a logical conclusion. His cash-strapped government also prepared to dole out hefty dollar fees while pumping in another Rs 225 crore for various schemes to encourage Dalits into joining the mainstream. But how sincere was the move?

The chief minister's detractors are clear that all this is only aimed at securing Dalit votes for a third term. Early last year, following the formal announcement of his Dalit agenda in the form of Bhopal Document, Digvijay had embarked on a process of assimilating finer points of the American Affirmative Action into his administration. For the first time, his government announced its intention to make millionaires out of Dalit entrepreneurs. At least 30 per cent of all procurements to be done by the SC/ST department were through Dalit entrepreneurs. A total of Rs 20 crore worth of goods have been bought by the department in the current financial year of which Rs 8 crore was given to the Dalits.

Now Digvijay has extended the 30 per cent reservation in supply to all departments of the government. This would raise the figure to hundreds of crores. "I would like to see the state produce the first Dalit millionaire entrepreneur in the country,'' he had said last year but with the speed with which he is implementing his agenda, it may happen this year itself-just in time for elections. He had earmarked 2 per cent of the Charnoi Bhumi for the Dalits and at least 300,000 Dalits have already received the benefit of becoming land owners for the first time in their lives.

Complaints about caste tension over land allotment have cropped up but Digvijay has been unperturbed. "There are some 25,000 complain three lakh families have been benefited,'' he says. There are about 1 crore Dalits in the state who form 15 per cent of the total population of 7 crore. It is obvious that not all the landless will be able to receive land as it is in short supply. Under the new package Rs 75,000 will be given to each Dalit family to buy one hectare of land. Earlier, the Government had intended to buy the land and give pattas but it has found that distribution of cash is easier.

"The Congress has ruled the country and state for close to 50 years, so it is responsible for the condition of the Dalits. Now with the Dalit agenda, it is only trying to cover its lapses,'' says Babulal Gaur, leader of the Opposition. Like him, Vikram Verma is convinced that Digvijay has only the Dalit vote in mind and that all his announcements are aimed at countering the BJP and BSP.

There may be some truth in the words. It is no coincidence that Digvijay has accelerated his Dalit reforms after the accession of Mayawati as Uttar Pradesh chief minister with the help of the BJP. The power-sharing in Uttar Pradesh has made a BJP-BSP pre-electoral alliance imminent in Madhya Pradesh as well. Digvijay is now preparing for what is likely to be a bitter fight. Over the last few elections, the BSP has consistently polled around 6 per cent votes. The BJP, on the other hand, has also increased its Dalit base as it occupies six of the nine reserved Lok Sabha consitituencies and 30 of the total 74 Vidhana Sabha constituencies. In the bargain, the Congress is left with only about 4 to 5 per cent of the Dalit vote. Digvijay is trying to increase his party's base by wooing the Dalits. He is perhaps calculating that if a total of about 10 per cent Dalits vote for the Congress, then along with 14 per cent Muslim votes he would be through to a third term.

He may however be in for some surprises as his rivals regroup and plan counter strategies. One of the simplest and most effective strategies is the BSP's promise to double the land holding of each Dalit who receives oter going the whole hog, the coming elections will therefore be a test to see how all these sops will compare with Dalit leaders from the BSP or OBCs like Uma Bharti of the BJP taking on the same voters.

THE BONANZA

30 per cent of government supply orders to be fulfilled by dalit entrepreneurs.

19,000 back log vacancies to be filled as soon as possible.

Each dalit to receive Rs 75,000 to buy one hectare of agricultural land.

20 per cent reservation for dalits in all constructions upto Rs two lakh.

10,000 shops to be allotted to dalits in the next three years.

All dalit girls to recive Rs 150 as scholarship and Rs 1000 on reaching class nine and Rs 2,000 on getting admission in class 11.

25,000 dalits will receive financing for starting their own trade.

11,000 grain banks to be opened in dalit villages.

Ten dalits to receive full scholarship to study abroad.

Rs 30 crore earmarked for development of dalit basti in urban areas.

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