New Delhi, April 22 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) President OP Rajbhar on Tuesday reiterated his strong support for the ‘One Nation, One Election’ bill, urging its swift implementation to streamline the country’s electoral process. Speaking to IANS, OP Rajbhar said: “Since independence, elections were originally held simultaneously across the country. Over time, due to changing circumstances, that pattern was disrupted. Today, there is an urgent need for ‘One Nation, One Election,’ and we fully support this initiative. We want it to be implemented as soon as possible.”

His remarks come on the same day as Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Chairman PP Chaudhary announced that the committee’s nationwide consultations on the ‘One Nation, One Election’ proposal will begin from May 17, starting in Maharashtra. The visits will be followed by consultations in Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh, and Punjab. Rajbhar further reacted to the deteriorating law and order situation in West Bengal over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, particularly in the context of alleged violence against Hindus. 

“It is the responsibility of the Chief Minister to maintain law and order in their state. She herself is a woman - if she is unable to control the situation, she should ask the Centre for help. If Banerjee fails to do so, then there is certainly a case for imposing President’s Rule. When law and order break down to this extent, Constitutional measures become necessary,” he stated. The minister further responded to recent allegations by Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav, who claimed that Uttar Pradesh under BJP rule had become the leading state in crimes against Dalits.

Dismissing the charges, Rajbhar said: “Akhilesh Yadav is spreading lies. During their tenure, the state was known for goonda raj. From police to lekhpal to gram sevak recruitment, every department was filled with bias. He talks about justice, yet his vote bank of 18 per cent Muslims received nothing.” On Monday, Yadav had issued a statement alleging that BJP-ruled states such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha, and Maharashtra account for the highest number of crimes against Dalits, especially women.

“The BJP government is not just attacking reservation and personal freedoms, it is shielding power-protected strongmen who are now taking lives,” the SP chief said. Referring to a recent incident, Yadav added, “The murder of a Dalit youth in Prayagraj for refusing to harvest wheat is horrifying and shows how deep-rooted caste oppression continues to be.” He further alleged that the BJP is a party driven by authoritarian values and feudal thinking, where humiliation and violence against Dalits, backward classes, minorities, women, and tribals are embedded in its system.

/IANS