Street protests by the Uttar Pradesh unit of the BJP and a stern demand by the Centre for a report on the Badaun rape case are early signs of the ruling party’s plans for the Hindi heartland State.

The recent incident involving the rape and murder of two teenaged girls from an extremely backward community in Badaun, western UP, has caused a national uproar. BSP chief Mayawati has already demanded the imposition President’s rule in the State.

The BJP, on its part, has started mobilising cadre to stage street protests on the issue. State unit president Laxmikant Bajpai led a protest organised by the BJP’s women’s wing in Lucknow on Monday.

While the Union Government has so far refrained from any reference to President’s rule, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, a former Chief Minister of UP, met Governor BL Joshi for almost half an hour on Tuesday to discuss the “deteriorating law and order situation” in the State.

Union Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Minister Uma Bharti added her voice to the growing chorus against the Samajwadi Party Government.

Crime against women

“Uttar Pradesh has become a State which is known for growing crimes against women.

“All the political parties now have to talk and debate on this issue and as soon as the Parliament session starts there will be a debate about the rising crimes against women and law and order situation in the State,” she told reporters outside Parliament on Thursday.

BJP sources said there will be further political mobilisation on the issue in the coming months. After its success in the recent Lok Sabha polls, the ruling party is eager to maintain the momentum in UP. After winning a majority in the Assembly, Akhilesh Yadav is only in the second of his five-year tenure.

It is politically premature and legally untenable for the BJP to start discussing dismissal of a popularly elected government but within the party, there is no confusion about whether the UP government will last its term.

“They will not survive for more than a year. UP is slipping into chaos and anarchy.

“There are too many power centres and the Chief Minister does not seem to hold it all together. The BJP is already prepared to meet the political challenge,” said a top BJP source.

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