News Brief
Gujarat: AAP's Botad MLA Umesh Makwana Alleges Caste Bias, Resigns From Party Posts
Umesh Makwana's resignation, caste discrimination allegations against AAP. (Photo source: Facebook Umesh Makwana)
Umesh Makwana, the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) MLA from Botad, resigned from all party posts on Thursday (26 June), alleging caste-based discrimination within the party, reported The Indian Express.
Hours later, the party suspended him for five years for "anti-party" and "anti-Gujarat" activities.
Makwana, who served as AAP's Whip in the Gujarat Assembly and a national joint secretary, stated he would consult his constituents before deciding whether to resign as an MLA.
Makwana, belonging to the Koli community classified as Other Backward Class (OBC), held a press conference in Gandhinagar.
He accused the AAP, along with the BJP and Congress, of failing to raise voice for backward communities, claiming they use these communities "only as vote banks" during elections.
He alleged, "When elections come, backward or OBC communities are used only as vote banks. The leaders of Koli community are used only till the elections are on. BJP and Congress also use leaders of backward communities during elections. All of them are sent to the margins as soon as the elections are over."
To support his claims of bias, Makwana referenced recent by-elections, stating, "In Kadi, our candidate (Jagdish Chavda) fought the elections after taking a loan of Rs 10 lakh…He is a Dalit."
“On the other hand, AAP’s Gopal Italia is from Patidar community. Entire state team of AAP was engaged there (in Visavadar). Resources worth crores were deployed. Our Kadi candidate lost the election. Because he was a poor Dalit, AAP left him on his own. In Visavadar, the candidate was Patidar, from an upper caste, so the entire party put its weight behind him and made him win. Such discrimination won’t be tolerated,” Makwana alleged.
He added, "You keep a photo of Babasaheb (Ambedkar, in offices), but not his ideals in heart… then you cannot do politics in his name."
Gujarat AAP President Isudan Gadhvi stated the party suspended Makwana due to "complaints, including those of corruption," against him.
Gadhvi also alleged that the BJP was attempting to damage AAP through Makwana by winning him over.
