Nearly seven months after joining the Bahujan Samaj Party, former IPS officer Dr Repalle Shiva Praveen Kumar is set to begin his 'Bahujana Rajyadikara Yatra', a mass outreach campaign aimed at political empowerment of Bahujan communities in the state of Telangana.
According to the policeman-turned politician, popularly known as RSP, the 300-day yatra will establish contact with over three crore people — only a quarter less than the state’s population. The Yatra would kick off from the historic Khila Shapur, a fort in Jangaon district that was besieged by Sardar Sarvai Papanna Goud. Papanna, a 17th century folk hero who mobilised sections of lower caste, and is considered a powerful symbol of Dalit emancipation.
Telangana assembly elections are over a year away but emergence of new players and changing political equations have kept the air abuzz. Though the BSP, which garnered 2.1% of votes in the 2018 assembly elections, has no heft in Telangana politics, the Yatra by Praveen Kumar, who holds a Masters in public administration from Harvard and had made his mark as a police officer is being viewed with considerable interest. The BSP, which is organizationally weak, is now banking on the reformer and educationist creds of Praveen, who has a decade of experience running schools under the Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS). A strident critic of the K Chandrashekar Rao-led TRS government, and the opposition parties, Praveen Kumar hopes the Yatra would be a gamechanger in Telangana politics.
Dr RS Praveen Kumar in a candid conversation with the TNM opens up about his ongoing political innings.
Dr RS Praveen Kumar in conversation with TNM.
It's been more than six months since you stepped into the shoes of a politician, how is it going ?
Yes, I'm being welcomed by lakhs of people across all sections. I have realised that people are looking for a change in state politics. They're fed up with the feudal parties, be it the ruling TRS or the so called opposition like the BJP and the Congress.
A 300-day Bahujana Rajyadikara Sankalpa Yatra across the state sounds like a giant programme. What does it signify?
This is a mass outreach programme. We will meet lakhs and lakhs of neglected people in interior villages, small towns and cities to make them aware of our ultimate ambition: bringing political power to Bahujans. The name reflects the aspirations of poor people who were excluded and denied political power in the state of Telangana.
You had several political platforms to choose from while joining politics but preferred BSP. Was there any specific reason behind this?
I was deeply inspired by BR Ambedker's principles of social justice. Our country is not even halfway through what he had envisioned. The BSP was a natural choice for me as it is the only party which can make marginalised communities the rulers of this country.
Now, as a politician, you are highly critical of KCR who had praised your work earlier. Why?
KCR, as the chief minister of the state, praised me because I had done something substantial. Whenever bureaucrats perform well as public servants, they would be appreciated by chief ministers. There is nothing beyond that.
How do you rate the healthcare and educational infrastructure in the state ?
Both are in a pathetic state. One of our main objectives is to revamp them with a time-bound comprehensive plan.
You have already met scores of people from different sections. What is their perception about the current government ?
They are absolutely disgruntled by the TRS government, because they know that the ruling dispensation has never bothered about their problems. Unemployed youth are taking lives. There are plenty of ways in which the government can increase employment opportunities but the TRS government never had any plan. They don't respect people.
But regional media reports are hailing the KCR government for their populist measures and being welfare-oriented?
All the media houses in the state are under their control; they will obviously spin the narrative in favour of TRS.
What is your assessment of ground-level realities? New faces are emerging and new political parties are being formed. Doesn't that affect your prospects?
Of course, we have our own assessment of the scenario. I'm not surprised by the so-called new faces and new parties. They are all part of the ruling class game. More such faces will emerge in the days to come as the ruling class seeks to divide people through different means.
The elections are more than a year away but do you see BSP sparking an interest? Are people aspiring to be candidates reaching out to you?
Many from different walks of life and political parties are reaching out to us. I feel that BSP would have better prospects in Telangana this time.
What do you think of KCR's criticism against BJP in the state?
KCR is trying to make BJP the number 2 party in the state so that he can play with the emotions of people and remain in power. But people are well aware of his stunts and will send him off from power this time.
KCR, known for his oratory and mass mobilisation skills, is said to have hired a popular political consultancy firm called I-PAC to work with. What do you make out of this ?
This shows he is scared of people and is losing, which is why KCR is trying to peddle an unrealistic image by pouring thousands of crores into image building by engaging a consultancy, Whose money is it anyway?