UP Division Talk Ignites Storm: Rajbhar Claims PM's Nod for State Split!
UP Division Talk Ignites Storm: Rajbhar Claims PM's Nod for State Split!
Uttar Pradesh Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar claims PM Modi discussed dividing UP into four states post-caste census, sparking massive political debate! Opposition slams the move. Get the full story.
Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar's recent declaration about Uttar Pradesh's imminent division into four separate states has sent ripples through the political landscape. Speaking in Ambedkarnagar, the Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) president asserted that the Prime Minister himself discussed this plan with him, stating the division would proceed once a caste census is completed.
This bold claim has reignited a long-standing debate over the reorganization of India's most populous state.
According to Rajbhar, the proposed divisions would create Purvanchal, Madhyanchal, Bundelkhand, and Harit Pradesh.
He further envisioned a significant role for his own community, declaring that the first Chief Minister of Purvanchal would be from the Rajbhar caste, citing their substantial vote base in the eastern region of Uttar Pradesh.
This specific assertion links the state division debate directly to caste-based politics and regional aspirations.
While the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), of which SBSP is an ally, has largely remained silent on Rajbhar's controversial remarks, opposition parties have been quick to react. The Congress, through its National Secretary Shahnawaz Alam, dismissed Rajbhar's statement as a desperate bid for political relevance in Purvanchal, especially as the Rajbhar community increasingly aligns with the INDIA alliance.
Alam suggested Rajbhar's diminished political influence in recent years is driving such attention-grabbing statements.
The Samajwadi Party (SP) echoed similar sentiments, with spokesperson Sunil Singh Yadav 'Sajan' accusing the BJP and its allies of employing a "divide and rule" policy. He argued that such statements distract from the lack of developmental work over the past decade, and reiterated the SP's fundamental opposition to the division of Uttar Pradesh.
Historically, efforts to divide the state are not new; the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government had even passed a proposal for division in the state assembly before the 2012 elections, though it failed to gain central approval.
Rajbhar's recent comments bring this complex and historically charged issue back to the forefront of Indian politics.
