GREETING SUPPORTERS: Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati at a public meeting at National College grounds in Bangalore on Wednesday. — Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash

BANGALORE: Braving a downpour, a large gathering of Bahujan Samaj Party supporters heard party leader Mayawati unleash her "anti-upper caste and Manuwadi" rhetoric and demand extension of the reservation policy to the private sector.

She accused the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party of "blackmailing" Dalits during elections and using their votes for gaining political power to protect the interests of the rich.

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister demanded that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government come out with a legislation to provide reservation for Dalits and OBCs in the private sector.

Reservation for Dalits and OBCs in the public sector did not empower them as the Narasimha Rao and Vajpayee governments closed many public sector units in the 1990s after introducing economic reforms, she claimed.

Congress criticised

Though Dalits looked for dignity and political power after centuries of oppression by the Hindu upper castes, the Congress and the BJP denied them social and economic justice.

Even after supporting the Congress since Independence, a high percentage of Dalits were living below the poverty line. The Dalits themselves were equally responsible for their present state of affairs, she said.

In the coming Legislative Assembly elections in Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the party would go to the electorate with twin issues — land redistribution and reservation in the private sector. Reservation in the judiciary and the private sector were the only way for empowerment of Dalits and the poor.

Low income and unemployment were the root causes of illiteracy and poverty among Dalits, she said.

Jobs

Ms. Mayawati, who was Chief Minister thrice, said she had provided jobs to over 50,000 people in the public sector.

As a true follower of B.R. Ambedkar her aim was social, economic and political empowerment of Dalits and the poor. But the ruling establishment at the Centre was targeting her to finish her politically, she alleged.

Claiming that she was an icon for millions of Dalits, Ms. Mayawati called upon the party workers to donate funds to broaden its base in the South.

Funds

Capitalists generously donate funds to the Congress and the BJP while the BSP had to beg for money from the "Bahujan samaj" for conducting election campaigns. The party had to launch a number of activities in the State to make its presence felt, Ms. Mayawati said.

Stating that upper castes need not fear about the party's pro-Dalit stand, Ms. Mayawati said the party would ensure justice to the poor belonging to the upper castes too.

Earlier, BSP General Secretary and MP Satishchadra Misra called upon Dalits to collectively unite and fight for their demands.

State BSP President B. Gopal appealed to the people to support the party candidates in the elections to taluk and zilla panchayats in the State.

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