Mayawati, Kalyan have an axe to grind in keeping 'dalit' storm alive

Both former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati and her successor Kalyan Singh are keen on keeping the controversy over the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act alive.

As the current tug-of-war rages, the two leaders's actions, reactions and counter-reactions expose their gameplan: they are interested only in the political mileage accruing from the order which seeks to end the misuse of the Act.

Lending credibility to the theory is Mayawati's outlook. The Bahujan Samaj Party leader, who has been fretting and fuming over the Bharatiya Janata Party leader's initiative in this regard, did not demand the order's repeal.

Instead, she wants similar orders passed against other laws like the National Security Act, the Gangsters Act, the Goonda Act, the Excise Act and the Arms Act. The victims of these laws, she alleges, were mostly dalits.

Similarly, Kalyan Singh is playing to the upper caste gallery, which has been upset with the alleged misuse of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Caught in the crossfire is Union Defence Minister and the duo's common political foe Mulayam Singh Yadav who was trying to reap a rich political harvest by harping on the misuse of the Act.

Kalyan Singh's master stroke creates a big dent in Yadav's designs -- and his vote banks -- by hijacking the issue from the defence minister.

There is, however, a marked difference in Mayawati's outlook since the order was issued on Monday last.

Earlier, Mayawati blasted Kalyan Singh accusing him being ''anti-dalit''. Both she and her mentor Kanshi Ram had even threatened to review the BSP's alliance with the BJP.

The BSP supremo now, however, talks only of the BJP's ''dangerous designs''. Significantly, neither Kanshi Ram nor Mayawati are willing to withdraw support to the BJP-led coalition. ''The coalition will go on, while we will register our protest against Kalyan Singh's betrayal,'' is the common refrain of both the leaders.

Lost in the din of protests, however, is the fact that Mayawati herself told the state assembly on July 22 that she would issue orders ''to ensure that there was no misuse of the Act''.

Considering the statement, political observers find it rather intriguing that she should raise a banner of revolt against the order. Surely, there is more to it than meets the eye. Knowing the Act was being misused, did Mayawati remain a silent spectator as it was weakening the BJP? The view gains ground considering her shifting stand on the issue.

As for Kalyan Singh, he too is playing his cards very shrewdly. That is why he decided to stick to his guns and refused to review the order.

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