As it spread its wings in Uttar Pradesh, even the BSP sought protection from these criminal warlords despite Kanshi Ram’s Dalit politics. For instance, two of the most notorious dacoit gangs in the state, both from the Bundelkhand region, led by Dadua and Thokia, suddenly decided to support Behenji and her elephant symbol in 2007, sensing which way the political winds were blowing.
During the election campaign, the gang created ripples by raising the slogan Mohar lagegi haathi par, nahi goli padegi chaati par (vote for the elephant or get a bullet in the chest). However, after Mayawati swept to a historic victory with full majority in 2007, she decided on the advice of her intrepid cabinet secretary Chandra Shekhar Singh to go after the dacoits.
Although Mayawati earned a lot of her accolades from the local and national media for her tough no-nonsense campaign against the most dreaded criminals in Uttar Pradesh, which were so far reluctant to praise the Dalit leader, she would…