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‘Rising religious frenzy’ in country not justified: Mayawati
The BSP chief said the U.P. government must focus on checking public fear that had grown due to infighting among criminals
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday criticised instances of ‘religious intolerance’ in the country, saying they were not justified. She also said she felt that the decision in BJP-ruled states of U.P. and Uttarakhand to remove graves allegedly because they were built on public land wasn’t right and smacked of politics. The BSP chief further said the U.P. government must focus on checking public fear that had grown due to infighting among criminals in the most populous state.
“The U.P. government must focus on controlling this situation. This will be my advice to them,” Mayawati said in a party statement after a meeting in Lucknow. The statement has come as the BSP is readying for assembly elections in four of the five states due later this year.
Mayawati isn’t a part of the ongoing efforts to forge opposition unity ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and thus her statements, in which she has largely appeared to be targeting the BJP, have attracted much attention. She also dwelt at length over the decision to remove graves in some BJP-ruled states.
“I feel that structures established for years, more specifically graves, in U.P. and Uttarakhand, that are being removed because they encroach on government land is not right. My party is opposed to this. That’s because why didn’t the governments of the day prevent those constructions? The sudden decision to demolish these constructions isn’t right and smacks of politics. Hurting someone’s religious feelings for political purposes isn’t ok,” Mayawati said.
BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday announced that her nephew and party’s national coordinator Akash Anand will handle the responsibility of creating momentum for the party in four of the five assembly states that would go to polls later this year.
Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram are due for polls ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and Mayawati said her party would be contesting elections in all states barring Mizoram.
“Akash Anand along with national coordinator and Rajya Sabha MP Ram ji Gautam would look after the election responsibilities in all four states my party will be contesting. They will begin campaigning in these states from this month by holding party cadre meets. I will focus specially on these four states,” Mayawati said in a statement released after a meeting in Lucknow. She also said she had held big rallies in Hyderabad to launch the party campaign in Telangana.
Mayawati’s announcement indicates the growing profile of Anand in the BSP. In 2022, Akash Anand, who was made national coordinator in 2019, was listed second in the list of star campaigners for Himachal Pradesh, signalling his elevation in the party line.
