Formation of Uttar Pradesh Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Commission
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh has established a Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Commission ahead of the by-elections. Former MLA from Barabanki, Baijnath Ravat, has been appointed as the chairman of this newly formed commission. Furthermore, the commission has appointed former Gorkhpur MLA Bechan Ram and Jeet Singh Kharwar from Sonbhadra as vice-chairmen. This commission consists of a chairman, two vice-chairmen, and a total of nine members.
Members of the Commission
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman | Baijnath Ravat |
| Vice-Chairman | Bechan Ram |
| Vice-Chairman | Jeet Singh Kharwar |
| Member | Harendra Jatav |
| Member | Mahipal Valmiki |
| Member | Sanjay Singh |
| Member | Dinesh Bharat |
| Member | Shiv Narayan Sonkar |
| Member | Neeraj Gautam |
| Member | Ramesh Kumar Tufani |
| Member | Narendra Singh Khajuri |
| Member | Tijaram |
Who is Baijnath Ravat?
Chairman Baijnath Ravat has a long and illustrious political career. He has served in various capacities, including both a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) and a Member of Parliament (MP). Hailing from a village near Haidergarh in Barabanki, Ravat received the BJP nomination for the Haidergarh seat in the 2017 Assembly elections. He won decisively, defeating the Samajwadi Party’s two-time MLA Ram Magan by nearly 33,000 votes.
Discontent with BJP
Having been elected as an MLA three times and an MP in 1998, Ravat has also held the position of State Minister in the Uttar Pradesh government. However, his political journey took an unexpected turn when he did not receive a ticket for the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, leading to his expressed frustration with the party. He publicly questioned the reasoning behind the denial of his ticket, implying that it was due to his connection with the Dalit community. The BJP instead awarded the ticket to Dinesh Ravat for the Haidergarh constituency.
Rooted in Dalit Identity
Baijnath Ravat comes from a Dalit family and has maintained a humble lifestyle despite his extensive political experience. He continues to engage in farming and looks after his livestock. As the chairman of the newly formed commission, he now carries a significant responsibility to address the issues faced by scheduled castes and tribes, promoting their rights and welfare within the state.
