"Don't vote for BJP, save country”, appeal rights groups, distribute pamphlets among voters ahead of UP poll

As the poll campaign heats up and moves towards Purvanchal, Opposition parties as well as members of the civil society have launched an intense anti-BJP campaign to oust Yogi government in PM Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency, Varanasi.

Members of the civil society, human rights groups along with the volunteers of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) have intensified door-to-door campaigns against BJP in the last few days.

Asking people not to vote for the saffron party, volunteers are distributing pamphlets among villagers in and around Varanasi also.

The pamphlets written in Hindi highlight the plight of farmers at the hand of Modi government and one year-long heroic struggle of the peasantry against the three farm laws which were withdrawn by the PM in November last year.

Recalling that “over 700 farmers have died during the one year long protest” the pamphlets say, “BJP does not understand the language of truth and lies, does not understand the difference between good and bad. This party only understands the language of vote. Therefore, we have to make the BJP – the party which suppressed and humiliated farmers – listen to our concerns in their own language.”

“At the time of casting vote, please remember the faces of over 740 farmers who lost their lives,” appealed the members of the civil society.

Talking to NH, general secretary of the Samajwadi Jan Parishad (SJP), Aflatoon said that the BJP government has destroyed SMEs and pitched communities against each other on religious lines.

“SJP appeals to people not to vote for the BJP and people have also made up their mind,” added Aflatoon.

Varanasi watchers say BJP’s top brasses are closely monitoring the anti-BJP campaign led by activists in the rural parts of the city. And they are wary of the impact also”.

“Some of the activists have left the city to avoid harassment and preventive detention,” said a watcher.

To counter the anti-BJP campaign, a resident of Varanasi and social activist told NH that the saffron party is using hyper localized platforms on social media to reach out to the people.

BJP has created neighbourhood chat groups on WhatsApp and is sending out short video clips of Modi wherein the PM is vowing to never leave the constituency, said the resident.

As per an estimate, around 200 broadcasters have been asked to make a target of sending out at least seven messages to local WhatsApp groups, Instagram and Facebook.

Varanasi resident and a journalist cum activist who did not wish to be named said that there must be around 35000 members on these various platforms created to support the BJP.

Polls for the last 118 seats falling in Purvanchal region will be held in sixth and seventh phases on March 3 and 7 respectively. Varanasi will go to poll on March7.

In 2017, BJP had won six seats in the city, while its allies Apna Dal (S) and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) had won one each. In the current election, SBSP is contesting in alliance with the SP.