The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Who are the two Pasi community icons invoked by Faizabad MP during his oath?
WHILE TAKING oath in Lok Sabha earlier this week, Awadhesh Prasad, the Samajwadi Party MP from Faizabad, invoked ‘Veerangana’ Uda Devi and ‘Maharaja’ Bijli Pasi, two prominent personalities of the Pasi (Dalit) community. Prasad himself belongs to the Pasi community, which numbers over three lakh in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency and is believed to have voted en masse for him.
Who was Uda Devi?
Born in Ujirao, Lucknow, Uda Devi was part of the royal guard of Begum Hazrat Mahal of Awadh, and participated in the 1857 Mutiny. She is credited with having mobilised people to take up arms against the British.
On November 16, 1857, Uda Devi was among the soldiers who clashed with the British regiment stationed near the Gomti River in Lucknow. It is said that she killed at least three dozen British soldiers from atop a tree before she was spotted and killed.
On November 16 every year, events are organised to commemorate the martyrdom of Uda Devi at various places, mostly inc en tr alutt ar pradesh. she remains an icon. especially for Dalits.
Who was ‘Maharaja’ Bijli Pasi?
The stories of bij lip asia re popularamong the pas is of central up districts such as Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Barabanki, Bahraich, Sultanpur and Allahabad.
While there are many prominent Pasi faces from here such as brothers Daldev, Baldev and Kakoran, Bijli Pasi is among the most prominent, having ruled over some parts of UP in the medieval period. The ruins of the fort from where he ruled still stand in Lucknow, while a statue has been put up of the Pasi icon in the state capital.
The Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government in UP has announced plans to renovate and redevelop Bijli Pasi’s fort as a tourist destination.
How significant are the Pasis?
The Pasis make up around 7% of UP'S Scheduled Caste population,making them the largest dal it group in the state after the Jatavs. While the Pasis also have significantpresence in other states, their largest population is in up.
In the recent Lok Sabha polls, in a boost to the SP that is largely seen as a Yadav-muslim-centric party, five Pasi candidates fielded by the SP won, compared to three of thebjp. Earlier, the community was largely seen as a supporter of the BSP. As the BSP’S base shrunk and became confined tot heja ta vs, the community shifted its allegiance to the BJP, prompted by the BJP’S aggressive wooing of SCS.