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Mayawati raises pitch on SPG cover

NOIDA (Uttar Pradesh): Raising the pitch on her demand for provision of the elite Special Protection Group (SPG) cover for her, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Tuesday alleged that the comments by some Congress leaders regarding the threat to her life were symbolic of their “anti-Dalit” stance.

Addressing public functions in Noida, near Delhi, Ms. Mayawati said SPG cover would have to be given to her by the Centre but certain Congress leaders were opposing it in the guise of “legal hurdles.”

As the Bahujan Samaj Party’s national president, she needed to travel to different parts of the country and the Uttar Pradesh police were not fully geared to extend security cover in other States.

The party base was expanding rapidly, and her travels were becoming a regular feature. She asked the Congress why it was not able to amend the rules to enable her to get the SPG cover.

Several former Prime Ministers and their families, who did not have any mass base, were enjoying the SPG cover. She asked why she was not entitled to it.

“It is clear that the Congress does not want the poor, downtrodden, weaker sections, the Dalits and the backward sections of society to unite because it will mean the end of the road for the party.”

Ms. Mayawati visited the district hospital, interacted with the villagers and approved a grant of Rs.1 crore for the modernisation of the Noida police.

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