Asking people to remain wary of “casteist” and “divisive” forces, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Mayawati on Monday said her party was contesting the ongoing UP assembly polls with “full might” to bring back “achche din” (good days) of governance in the state like it had done when in power between 2007 and 2012.
Addressing a public rally in Orai in Jalaun district, where elections are scheduled in the third phase on February 20, she went all guns blazing against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP).
The BSP chief dubbed Congress “strongly casteist”, BJP “pro-capitalist” and working for “agendas of RSS” and alleged that the SP have given a free hand to criminals during its rule. “Our party is preparing and contesting the polls with full might to once again form a government with full majority so that once again the ‘achche din’ of BSP governance can come back in the state like it happened in 2007,” Mayawati said.
Mayawati said her party has given tickets to candidates on the basis of population representation in the region like it had done in the past. “You all have to understand why it is necessary for you all to vote for the BSP, which works for your welfare, instead of the Congress, the BJP, the SP or other rival parties. Ever since Independence, the Congress has had governments at the Centre and in states for a long time but has been pushed out of power due to its wrong policies and work styles,” she said.
Mayawati claimed that the Congress has been and still is “strongly casteist”. She said the Congress did not even honour Dalit icon Dr BR Ambedkar with the Bharat Ratna despite he being worthy of the highest civilian honour of the country. It is pertinent to mention here that Dr Ambedkar was conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously during the late PM VP Singh’s regime in 1990.
{{/usCountry}}Mayawati claimed that the Congress has been and still is “strongly casteist”. She said the Congress did not even honour Dalit icon Dr BR Ambedkar with the Bharat Ratna despite he being worthy of the highest civilian honour of the country. It is pertinent to mention here that Dr Ambedkar was conferred the Bharat Ratna posthumously during the late PM VP Singh’s regime in 1990.
{{/usCountry}}She alleged that the then Congress government at the Centre had not duly recognised the work of BSP ideologue Kanshi Ram (1934-2006) and had not declared even a day’s mourning on his demise.
“When the Congress is in power and has its ‘acche din’, it is not bothered about Dalits, Advisasis and other backward communities but does drama about working for them when out of power,” Mayawati alleged. She further alleged that criminal elements, goondas and mafia had a free hand under the SP government in Uttar Pradesh.
“There had been constant tension in the state and development works were also confined to a particular region during the SP rule. Dalits, Adivasis and other backward communities had to especially experience step-brotherly treatment,” she alleged.
Mayawati alleged that the BJP was also “casteist”, “pro-capitalist” and worked to implement the “narrow agendas” of the RSS. “Because of these, development has eluded the people who have been exploited and victimised in the BJP rule. They have also faced social harassment. An atmosphere of tension and hate has been prevalent here in the name of religion,” she alleged.