Latest news with #SanjayNishad
Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
NISHAD party demands national memorial at Kanpur ghat
The Nishad Party, a BJP ally in Uttar Pradesh, demanded that the Satti Chaura Ghat in Kanpur be declared a National Memorial. The demand comes in remembrance of the 1857 incident where British forces allegedly massacred people from the Nishad community at the same ghat, and the party is marking the anniversary as 'Smriti and Sankalpa Diwas' for Nishads. 'We will rewrite with our blood the history that is not written in books,' said party chief and minister Sanjay Nishad, adding the ghat is a witness to the sacrifice and first spark of freedom by Nishad community. He said Satti Chaura Ghat be declared a national memorial and the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 be included in school syllabus to educate future generations about their ancestors.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Satti Chaura, Massacre Ghat should be declared national monuments'
1 2 Kanpur: Minister of fisheries and national president of the Nishad Party Sanjay Kumar Nishad, stated that this river bank is not just the edge of the Ganga, but is a witness to the sacrifices, bravery, and the first spark of freedom of the country by the Nishad community. "In 1857, Nishad boatmen drowned the British in the Ganga here, shaking the foundations of British rule. In retaliation, hundreds of Nishads were hanged without trial at the Massacre Ghat, and in 1871, the Criminal Tribes Act labelled the Nishad community as 'born criminals,' and humiliated them," said Sanjay Nishad while addressing a gathering in a programme organized in the memory and on the occasion of the Resolution Day of the Nishad community at Satti Chaura Ghat on Friday. Sanjay Nishad said, "Today, we are fighting our battle through the Constitution, pen, and vote to ensure separate reservations for the Nishad community." He demanded that Satti Chaura and Massacre Ghat be declared as national monuments and that the truth about the Criminal Tribes Act be included in school curriculum, emphasizing that Nishad children should learn about their ancestors' bravery to instil pride and prepare future generations for leadership. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Избавляемся от боли в суставах с помощью натуральных средств! Здоровые Суставы Undo The Nishad community leader detailed various welfare schemes initiated by the Central and the state govts for the upliftment of the fishing community, such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Mukhya Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, Fishermen Accident Insurance Scheme, Kisan Credit Card, Intensive Fish Farming Aeration System, Nishad Raj Boat Scheme, Mata Suketa Cage System, and Fish Farmer Welfare Fund. These schemes are being transparently delivered to the community, with pond and reservoir leases being prioritised for the Nishad community, and the government is fully committed to removing illegal encroachments and protecting water resources, he added. Regarding the Etawah Katha Vachak controversy, the minister condemned the incident as highly reprehensible, and said that the Indian Constitution grants all citizens equal rights to perform and conduct religious rituals, and no caste can be deprived of this. When asked about the removal of the words 'socialist' and 'secular' from the Constitution, he remarked that any constitutional amendment requires a parliamentary majority, questioning the basis on which the Congress had added these words during the Emergency when democracy was nearly suspended. He suggested that there should be a debate in Parliament on this issue, and if the words are deemed necessary by it, they should remain; otherwise, they should be removed. "In a democracy, no amendment can be made without collective consent of the people and Parliament," he said.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
With next year's panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh, parties gear up to test waters for 2027
ALTHOUGH PANCHAYAT elections in the state are not contested on symbols of political parties, considering the significant role played by the grassroot representatives in the Assembly elections, major political parties — both national and regional — have already begun preparations for the 2027 Assembly polls, treating the grassroots polls as a key battleground to show their strength. In the recent past, several parties, be it NDA allies such as Apna Dal, NISHAD party, SBSP or INDIA alliance partners such as the Congress, announced that candidates they support should be fielded separately. Although this sparked speculation over potential trouble for alliances for both the ruling BJP party and the INDIA alliance, leaders across party lines spoke to The Indian Express about the reasons for their parties to strongly pitch for supporting their own candidates in these polls while continuing with the alliances in the Assembly polls. A mammoth affair Panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh are a mammoth affair, covering over 8 lakh posts, at different levels of panchayat. There are over 12 crore voters for the forthcoming polls in Uttar Pradesh. In the 2021 polls, elections were held for 7.32 lakh wards across 58,189 Gram Panchayats, 75,855 wards of 826 Kshetra Panchayats, and 3,051 members of 75 Zila Panchayats. Despite being held during the pandemic, parties like the BJP had officially declared their list of supported candidates. However, this time, it is not just the national parties but even the regional parties who are eying the polls to strengthen their ground and 'bargaining power'. With elections expected around January-February 2026, as per sources, preparations have begun much earlier. Why parties are keen on chipping in Both the NDA alliance partners and the INDIA alliance have emphasised the importance of clearly announcing their intention to contest these elections separately. They believe that strengthening their parties at the grassroots level is crucial, which includes supporting their grassroots workers, some of whom will contest these polls. To address concerns that their participation in these elections might negatively impact their alliance partners, these parties clarified that since the elections are not held under party symbols, they can still form alliances for assembly polls. They believe their ground strength will ultimately benefit their alliance partners. Additionally, some partners of the NDA expressed willingness to support BJP-backed candidates for chairman positions while allowing their own candidates to run for grassroots-level positions. 'It is a small election focused on the workers. For the BJP to return to power in 2027, it is essential that the workers stay active. If alliance partners like myself, Ashish Patel, or SBSP each have 10,000 supporters in any segment, then our combined efforts would benefit the alliance,' explained Sanjay Nishad, Chief of the NISHAD party and a minister in the state government. He cited an example from the previous panchayat elections, noting that the BJP and the NISHAD party had contested separately. In some segments of Sultanpur, candidates backed by the NISHAD party received more support than those from the BJP. However, when it came time for the Jila Panchayat Chairman election, most voters supported candidates aligned with the BJP. 'It is difficult for our workers to reach the level of contesting MLA elections, but these are their elections, and our candidates would certainly weaken the Samajwadi Party (SP),' he added. 'All smaller parties empower themselves, and we are also preparing for the panchayat elections,' said Apna Dal leader and Union Minister Anupriya Patel. She assured they would remain allied with NDA. Direct block pramukh elections this time? Uttar Pradesh's Panchayati Raj Minister and Chief of the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party, Om Prakash Rajbhar, recently announced that following multiple discussions with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, an agreement has been reached to conduct Block Pramukh elections directly through public voting. At present, these elections are held indirectly, with candidates being selected by Block Development Committee members, which has led to concerns about corruption. Rajbhar said the chief minister has agreed to send this proposal to the central government. 'After four rounds of dialogue, he has given his approval for the proposal to be forwarded to the centre. The goal is to eliminate the influence of money and muscle power,' Rajbhar explained. Although an official decision is still pending, both NDA allies and opposition parties have expressed their support for the proposal. Sanjay Nishad affirmed their backing for direct elections, stating, 'This change would reduce the likelihood of candidates winning through financial means and provide opportunities for grassroots workers.' Previously, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has also backed this proposal. 'What do we, as opposition or regional parties, have to lose? It is the BJP that has a bigger stake in this election and faces significant infighting since they are in power. By contesting these elections independently, we can strengthen our presence on the ground. We have already asked all our leaders interested in running for the 2027 Assembly polls to identify and nominate their candidates for pradhans and other posts. This would not only enhance their chances but also represent the party effectively,' said a senior Congress leader. The ruling BJP has also begun its preparations by forming committees. These committees will aid in the ongoing delimitation process, which is being closely monitored by opposition parties. However, party leaders claim that their allies' decision to field candidates separately will not impact them. 'Every alliance partner has the right to grow and develop independently, and we see no issue with that. We are strong at the grassroots level,' said senior BJP leader Vijay Bahadur Pathak.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Nishad Party to commemorate Kasarwal Andolan, which helped it gain relevance
Lucknow: Nishad Party, which has intensified its voter outreach initiatives in view of upcoming panchayat and assembly elections, has decided to commemorate the Kasarwal Andolan of June 7, 2015 by holding an event on Sunday. Sanjay Nishad led protest for reservation for the community in Gorakhpur's Kasarwal area had turned violent, leading to death of a youth. The case was registered against Sanjay Nishad. The protest helped project Sanjay Nishad as strong community leader, and his party gain relevance in UP politics. "Shahadat se Netrativ Tak (from martyrdom to leadership) will be a session to recall the struggles and sacrifices of the Nishad community, and also present to the community the efforts made for its social development," said national president and cabinet minister for fisheries in UP, Sanjay Nishad. He added that the event is not only a commemoration of the Kasarwal episode but a reiteration of the community's rights. The party holds two foundational events every year to mobilise its cadre. On Jan 13, it holds 'Sankalp Diwas' when the Nishad community reiterates its demand for inclusion in SC list for reservation. On Aug 16, the party observes foundation day, which it marks as a show of strength through rallies and other programmes, again to drum up support for the SC status. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo In addition, the party organises events to tell voters how it has been pressing for an SC tag for all the sub-castes of Nishads in UP. Party says it forged an alliance with the BJP in UP, first in the Lok Sabha election in 2019 and then in the 2022 assembly elections so that this demand could be met. The party also saw six of its MLAs win the 2022 assembly elections in the state on its symbol. The SC status, however, still eludes the community in UP. Lucknow: Nishad Party, which has intensified its voter outreach initiatives in view of upcoming panchayat and assembly elections, has decided to commemorate the Kasarwal Andolan of June 7, 2015 by holding an event on Sunday. Sanjay Nishad led protest for reservation for the community in Gorakhpur's Kasarwal area had turned violent, leading to death of a youth. The case was registered against Sanjay Nishad. The protest helped project Sanjay Nishad as strong community leader, and his party gain relevance in UP politics. "Shahadat se Netrativ Tak (from martyrdom to leadership) will be a session to recall the struggles and sacrifices of the Nishad community, and also present to the community the efforts made for its social development," said national president and cabinet minister for fisheries in UP, Sanjay Nishad. He added that the event is not only a commemoration of the Kasarwal episode but a reiteration of the community's rights. The party holds two foundational events every year to mobilise its cadre. On Jan 13, it holds 'Sankalp Diwas' when the Nishad community reiterates its demand for inclusion in SC list for reservation. On Aug 16, the party observes foundation day, which it marks as a show of strength through rallies and other programmes, again to drum up support for the SC status. In addition, the party organises events to tell voters how it has been pressing for an SC tag for all the sub-castes of Nishads in UP. Party says it forged an alliance with the BJP in UP, first in the Lok Sabha election in 2019 and then in the 2022 assembly elections so that this demand could be met. The party also saw six of its MLAs win the 2022 assembly elections in the state on its symbol. The SC status, however, still eludes the community in UP. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
Time of India
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CM ‘voice of community':Sanjay Nishad
Gorakhpur: An awareness rally, led by Uttar Pradesh fisheries minister and NISHAD party chief Sanjay Nishad was taken out in Gorakhpur on Monday. Addressing reporters, Sanjay Nishad made a sharp remark, stating, "Jo Nishad Party ka jhanda uthae wahi mera bhai hai, jo na uthae wahi kasai hai" — equating those not supporting the party with butchers. He further elaborated that individuals from the community who do not chant 'Jai Nishad Raj' or align with the rival political outfits are harming the community's progress, similar to butchers slaughtering animals. Referring to former minister Jamuna Nishad, he claimed that slogans like 'Jai Bhim' and 'Jai Samajwad' had yielded little benefit, emphasizing the need for community solidarity under the NISHAD Party banner. The minister praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath , calling him the "voice of the Nishad community ". He noted that Yogi, even during his tenure as an MP, had raised the demand for granting SC status to the Nishad community, and now, as the CM, the expectations are higher than ever. He alleged that despite a directive from the Registrar General of India (RGI), implementation at the state level remains pending and urged the Bharatiya Janata Party to honour its promise. Highlighting welfare initiatives, he said the fisheries department would extend support to the community members in areas including education, healthcare (even without an Ayushman card), and assistance in marriage.
