The Hindu : New Delhi News : Mayawati asks Dalits not to support Congress

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Monday, May 04, 2009
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Mayawati asks Dalits not to support Congress

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

‘BSP will focus on drafting policies that will benefit the poor’

Focus on “ill treatment” meted out to Baba Saheb Ambedkar by the Congress
Mayawati makes her intention to occupy the Prime Minister’s office clear

NEW DELHI: Addressing a well-attended rally at the Ramlila Maidan here on Sunday, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati trained her guns on the Congress, describing the party’s concern for the Muslims, lower castes and other religious minorities as mere lip service.

In her hour-long speech, she spoke of her party’s commitment towards uplift of all sections and castes and dwelt at length on the “ill treatment” meted out to Baba Saheb Ambedkar by the Congress.

Seen as a party of the Dalits and the lower castes, Mayawati attempted a change in its image by saying that it would ensure the welfare of sarva samaj (entire society). “Unlike the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party and their allies, the BSP will focus on drafting policies that will benefit the poor and marginalised.”

Dismissing the Congress concern for the Muslims, lower castes and other religious minorities as mere lip service, she said the BSP by giving the tickets for three Lok Sabha seats from Delhi to Muslims had proved its commitment towards the community. As for the Sikhs, the BSP leader assured of “justice” to the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Reminding the BSP supporters, who braved the sizzling summer heat to hear her speak, of the treatment meted out to their leader Baba Saheb Ambedkar by the Congress, Ms. Mayawati drew home the message of why the Congress needs to be voted out. “Baba Saheb had said that anyone selling his vote to the Congress can be compared to one who sells the honour of his daughter or sister,” she said as the crowds cheered her on. She dwelt on how the Congress created impediments for Dr. Ambedkar at every step, even as he tried hard to work for the betterment of the downtrodden.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister reminded the crowds how the Congress used money and official machinery to defeat Dr. Ambedkar in the first ever Lok Sabha polls.

Sharp in her criticism of the attempts made by the scion of the Gandhi family and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi to promote the cause of the Dalits, Ms. Maywati said: “By visiting their dusty villages, eating with them and sleeping in their bastis (villages) and carrying their children on the shoulders one cannot alleviate their problems. They need jobs, they need food,” she said taking no names.

Dressed in a fawn salwar kameez, Ms. Mayawati made her intention to occupy the Prime Minister’s office clear. She promised better policies, more jobs, more reservations and measures to counter terrorism and naxalism, which she incidentally blamed on the “flawed policies of the Congress”.

Making a reference to the issue of black money stashed away in foreign banks, she said her party would ensure the money was brought back and used for the country’s development.

Again, taking no names, she claimed how a senior Congress Minister had benami money stashed away in a foreign bank.

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