Dr. Duggaraju Srinivasa Rao
Caste politics of Uttar Pradesh (UP) is not leaving even the God and his incarnations. With Ram, the Kshatriya already owned by BJP and Krishna, the Yadav, already appropriated by the Mulayam Singh Yadav founded Samajvadi Party (SP) the BSP having failed to garner power with their Elephantine effort are forced to search for a religious character for vote catching. Thus the Parasurama, the sixth incarnation of Lord Sri Vishnu, is found to project their competitive pro-Hindutva image.
Parasurama is not a deity to whom the Hindus pray on daily basis. Barring in some west coast areas of Karnataka and Kerala, which are part of ancient Parasurama Kshetra, there are not many temples for him in India. But with elections due in Uttar Pradesh in early next year and all parties in that state are adapted Hindutva ideology in soft tones, the demand for religious symbols and purana purushas has gone up. Now the demand for Parasu, the plough the weapon of Parasurama is in great demand. Parasurama, the Vishnu’s reincarnation, is now presented to the people to show their newly acquired love for Hindutva. All the parties have dropped the pretense of their secularism and now are ready to chant Jai Parasuram as the ‘communal’ BJP has already appropriated the Jai Sri Ram chant since decades. So they can’t chant Ram and give publicity for BJP. Thus BSP, SP, Congress have picked up the next best Purana Purush Parasuram as he is senior to Ram by one incarnation.
This resurrection of Parasuram, as everyone knows, is not out of Bhakti but because of political compulsion. The parties are projecting Parasuram because of his Brahmin caste as Brahmins form almost 20% population in UP. The Brahmin conclaves of BSP are organized under the banner of Parasurama. Not to be out done the SP current President Akhilesh yadav has said that his father Mulayam is Hanuman Bhakta and he himself is Parasuram Bhakta. What a dramatic change in the election year. As perceived descendants of Parasurama the Brahmins of UP are now revered and are given special place in political meets.
If it is really for the love of Brahmin vote in UP the parties could have easily chosen Vamana, the fifth incarnation of Vishnu and also a Brahmin as per puranas. But selection of Parasurama and his resurrection by BSP and SP has sublime message. Parasurama is against the Kshtriya( Thakurs) clans and killed them when their rule turned out of sync with dharma as per Puranas. Currently BJP government in UP is headed by a Thakur. That symbolic anti Thakur and pro Brahmin message can’t be missed.
(Author is retired professor and occasional contributor for dailies and magazines on politics and environmental issues. The views expressed are personal opinion of the author. He can be reached at duggarajusrinivasarao@gmail.com)
