Discontent with the Samajwadi Party led state administration’s handling of the Muzaffarnagar riots, he stepped down as the Samajwadi Party candidate from Baghpat for the 2014 polls. A prominent member of the Jat community, Sompal Singh Shastri had defeated Ajit Singh from Baghpat, the family bastion of the late Chaudhary Charan Singh. Sompal is former Agriculture minister and also former Planning Commission member.
What are the reasons behind your quitting from the Samajwadi Party ?
I was disturbed and shocked by the communal violence that has taken place in Muzaffarnagar where so many people have lost their lives. It was the last panchayat held on 7th September, after which the violence started. For five days I tried to use my own resources, I was trying to get in touch with party leadership but they just showed no interest. I was frantically making calls to Ramgopal Yadav, the chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and even party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav but there was just no response. Even at the National Executive in Agra, I did not hear of them expressing regret. Therefore on 13th September, I decided to step down as candidate of the SP.
I was not holding any official post within the SP party. They decided to make me the candidate based on the fact that I had defeated Ajit Singh in 1998 from Baghpat. That’s the only post I had of candidate and so I wrote a three line letter to Mulayam Singh Yadav and resigned as candidate .
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In your view, is the Samajwadi Party responsible for being a mute spectator to the riots leading to escalation of the violence?
While its not the time to indulge in blame games but the fact remains that when the riots were getting out of hand - the total insensitivity of the political leadership. It was a gross failure of the political leadership of the SP and the state administration.
For one to two months now, the SP if you notice, even the in the Durga Shakti Nagpal case - has got into the habit of transferring and suspending bureaucrats in a knee jerk manner and trying to shift the blame on them. In the riots too, they transferred the District Magistrates but none of the political leadership visited the affected area. The CM’s visit yesterday was so delayed.
You are a prominent Jat leader from the region. Post the communal violence, what is the sentiment of the Jats there today?
Jats as a community are very vociferous, outspoken but very politically conscious. They are offended as they perceive that all the action that has been taken – arrests etc they have been targeted.
The Jats in western UP have traditionally been Arya Samajis. This is the first occasion since 1947 that communal violence has affected rural society in west UP. Jats believe that they have been unfairly targeted with innocent boys being picked up and family members booked.
There is a view that Jats are finally asserting their Hindu identity?
Yes. This is right. I am seeing Jats leaning towards the BJP, possibly for the first time.
The Jat community has been secular throughout history. Throughout the times when there was the unified Muzaffarnagar and Shamli district, in six of the eight Assembly districts which were general seats- three always had Jat MLAs. This was largely because of the support of the Muslim peasantry. Also after the demise of Chaudhary Charan Singh, there has been a vacuum in leadership of the Jats. The worst implication of the recent riots is that polarization is happening in that secular socio- economic fabric and nothing has been done to arrest it and pacify the community.
You started your political career with the BJP?
But I have always and consistently been secular. Even when I was a BJP candidate, I won because I was supported largely by the Muslims. Remember, the Jats constitute only 12 per cent of the population of Muzaffarnagar.
Is there any possibility of you joining the BJP in the coming days?
I have not thought about these things as yet.