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Punjab: Be wary of Cong’s election stunt, Mayawati tells Dalits
Mayawati, whose party has tied up with Shiromani Akali Dal ) for the upcoming Punjab assembly polls, also said whatever the “casteist parties” are giving to Dalits and OBCs, whether it is in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh or other states, it is for their votes and to serve selfish motives and not for ameliorating their lot
With Charanjit Singh Channi taking oath as Punjab’s first Dalit chief minister, BSP president Mayawati on Monday termed it an “election stunt” of the Congress and asked Dalits to be wary of it.
Mayawati, whose party has tied up with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) for the upcoming Punjab assembly polls, also said whatever the “casteist parties” are giving to Dalits and OBCs, whether it is in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh or other states, it is for their votes and to serve selfish motives and not for ameliorating their lot.
“Making a person belonging to Dalit caste as the chief minister of Punjab is nothing but an election stunt. I have come to know through the media today that assembly elections in Punjab will be fought under a non-Dalit leader and not under Channi,” Mayawati told newspersons here.
Attacking the Congress, she said, “It still does not have faith in Dalits. Dalits need to be very alert to their double standards. I have full faith that Dalits of Punjab will not fall for this stunt.” The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also claimed the Congress is rattled by the SAD-BSP alliance for the Punjab assembly polls.
The BSP and SAD had in June joined hands for the 2022 Punjab assembly elections. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal had announced that if their alliance wins, the deputy chief minister would be from the Dalit community.
“The reality is that Congress and other political parties think of Dalits only in times of crisis,” Mayawati charged.
The Congress’ decision to name Channi, who hails from Rupnagar district in Punjab’s Malwa belt, assumes significance as almost 32% population of the state comprises Dalits.
