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Mayawati refers CD case to CBI; FIR lodged

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday referred the CD case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and said the controversial film, “Teesri Azaadi” (The Third Freedom), was part of a conspiracy by those rattled by the alignment of the upper castes with the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Ms. Mayawati declared that efforts to create social divisions would not be tolerated by her Government and strict action would be taken against the guilty.

She denied the involvement of the BSP, or the party MP from Basti, (Lalmani Prasad) in the making of the CD and its distribution.

Ms. Mayawati said the film was shot in Maharashtra, where the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena have been in power. She said for the last several years, the CD was being distributed to the people, and accused the Congress, the BJP and the Shiv Sena of conniving in the production of the film and its distribution.

On information that the film was being distributed and shown to the people, orders were issued to the Basti district administration for seizing CDs and punishing the people associated with it.

Ms. Mayawati said FIRs were lodged against the guilty persons and the TV channel, adding that three persons had been arrested. She said the film was aimed at creating hatred and social discord.

Giving a clean chit to her MP, she said Mr. Lalmani Prasad told her before joining the BSP that he was a member of the Bhim Rao Ambedkar Samaj Sudhar Samiti, Haraiya (Basti district), but ever since he joined the party had disassociated himself from the organisation. The Chief Minister added since the BSP MP’s name has figured in the issue, the case has been referred to the CBI.

Ms. Mayawati slammed the Opposition parties and said if the BSP was involved in the CD issue, why did they choose to remain silent. She said in 1993 the Samajwadi Party felt no hesitation in forming the Government with the BSP, whereas in 1996 the Congress clinched a poll alliance with the BSP. It is also well-known that the BJP twice formed Government (1997 and 2002) with the BSP as its alliance partner, she pointed out.

She said the success of the BSP’s social engineering formula was giving nightmares to her opponents and the controversial film was a manifestation of their desperation.

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