Reiterating his strident anti-Dalit stance, Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya, independent MLA from Kunda, who had opposed the “draconian” provisions of the SC/ST Act, on Friday floated a new party which he said would fight for “equality” among all castes. He added though he would be labelled anti-Dalit, he was only talking about equality.

On completion of his 25 years in politics, Singh organised a rally at Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan in Lucknow to announce his new party. He announced his party would have “Jansatta” as prefix. He said he was not against Scheduled Castes but the repressive laws and caste-based discrimination in the payment of compensation to different communities, who were victims of crime like rape and murder, was not acceptable to him.

He also hinted at forging an alliance with the  Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party Lohia headed by Shivpal Yadav, the warring uncle of the Samajwadi party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Addressing the rally, the MLA demanded Rs 1 crore compensation for martyrs of Indian Army and para-military forces, payment of the cane dues to farmers within a week and ending the disparity in fundamental rights of citizens. An estimated over two lakh persons attended the rally.

“The prevention of the (atrocities) against the Schedule Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act was legislated during the regime of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1989 and ever since the act had been made more complicated and more repressive  which was being used or misused to target the upper castes’’, said Rajah Bhaiya. He said if his party came to power, there would be no discrimination in distribution of compensation to martyrs laying down their lives on the borders and all would be given Rs 1 core irrespective of caste and religion.

 He alleged that all political parties for their narrow political ends made the SC/ST Act more stringent and complicated. The MLA also demanded that all those among the Dalit communities having availed the benefits of the reservation be denied the facility.

 â€œAfter independence, all political parties were unanimous on only one issue and that was the SC/ST Act where a person is sent to jail for six months immediately after the registration of the FIR. This cannot be allowed to continue for an indefinite period as all citizens of the country have same fundamental rights’’, argued the independent MLA.

 â€œWe are for equality which is our fundamental right while as per the prevailing practice in the Government the compensation is determined on the basis of caste’’, said the MLA adding: “We are not demanding that all be given the facilities as given to Dalit community but at the same time demanding equality before law is no crime.” 

He alleged those who had sown the seeds of caste-based discrimination would never have imagined that one day there would be a huge rally against inequality and injustice where the people from all caste and communities would participate. Keeping the cards about his future political plan close to his chest, he said whether his party would contest the Lok Sabha polls in 2019 or he would go for an alliance in the elections, the independent MLA clarified that a decision would be taken after ECI recognised the party. After the address of Rajah Bhaiya, a message sent by Shivpal Yadav expressing good wishes for the rally was also read out. The message has given rise to the speculation that both the parties could join hands ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Former MP Shailendra Kumar, independent MLA Vinod Saroj and his cousin Akshay Pratap Singh were among those who were on the dais along with Rajah Bhaiya. A special train of 18 coaches came  from Kunda Harnamganj railway station carrying his supporters for attending the rally.