Mayawati attacks Cong, BJP; blames them for plight of down-trodden

Avtar Bhat

BSP supremo Mayawati addressing an election rally at Parade Ground, Jammu on Tuesday. —Excelsior/Rakesh
BSP supremo Mayawati addressing an election rally at Parade Ground, Jammu on Tuesday.
—Excelsior/Rakesh

JAMMU, Apr 1: Attacking both Congress vice president, Rahul Gandhi and BJP Prime Ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi for “anti people policies” of their respective parties, BSP supremo, Mayawati today said that both parties will prove disastrous for nation if voted to power at Centre.
Addressing an election rally at Parade Ground here, this afternoon in support of party candidates, Ashok Bhagat from Jammu- Poonch Parliamentary constituency and Darampal Balgotra for Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha seat, she said the performance of both Congress which ruled for 50 years and BJP which ruled for about six years at Centre was not good and they failed to change the fate of oppressed, suppressed people especially, SCs, STs, OBCs, Muslims and other religious minorities.
While making a scathing attack on Narendra Modi, she said that peace and communal amity in the country will be disturbed if he becomes the Prime Minister.
Accusing Modi for 2002 Godhra riots, Mayawati said “he (Modi) was behind the Godhra riots when the BJP Government was at the Centre’’.
Not sparing Congress, she said the Party without announcing the name of its “Yuvraj’’ as next Prime Ministerial candidate has failed to do any thing better for the poor and down trodden people in its over 50 year rule.
She said to rid the oppressed and suppressed people of growing atrocities and for overall peace and communal amity in the country, it is mandatory for people to give balance of power in the hands of BSP.
She assured the people that BSP will take care of all sections of the society, besides protecting the interests of investors and industrialists. The Party will also strive for eradication of naxal violence,  terrorism and will make country’s borders safe and secure.
Cautioning the people against the manipulations of non BSP parties including Congress and BJP, she said the people should not get misled by the parties confined to media only and they should be cautious of their poll manifestos.
Ridiculing Mr Modi’s claims of bettering the situation after he takes over as Prime Minister, the BSP chief asked what the party did during its six years rule at Centre for the upliftment of down-trodden people in the country?
Expressing concern over failure of the Congress and BJP which ruled the country and other States after independence in improving the social and economic status of the down-trodden people, she said the reservations given to these communities by founding father of Indian Constitution, Dr B R Ambedkar are being eroded by the non BSP parties after making amendments in laws and by including other sections of society in it too to deprive these classes of the reservation benefits.
The constitution of Sachar Commission was an indication in this regard, she said, adding the BSP is not averse to reservations to poor people from other communities or upper castes and in this regard she had written a letter to  the Union Government also but till date she did nor receive any reply.
Expressing concern over rising terrorism and naxal violence in the country, she said the parties which ruled at Centre and in the State were responsible for it but the Congress was main culprit as it ruled at Centre for over five decades.
She said the non BSP parties which come to power with the support of capitalists and big business houses instead of solving problems of the common man promote their interests. She asked the people that if they want to get rid of the same, they should not support the Congress and BJP at the hustings and instead cast their vote in favour of BSP candidates.
Mayawati said BSP is the only party which is contesting elections with the support of people and not of the capitalists, otherwise the poor people will be affected. This was  the main reason that BSP was voted to power four times in UP and people belonging to downtrodden communities, Muslims as well as other religious minorities have many expectations from the Party. Today people in UP repent by voting such a party to power who has let lose a reign of terror there. “During BSP rule the law and order was under check in UP and those committing atrocities on poor and down trodden people were put in jails’’, she added.
She also accused the J&K Government of oppressing and suppressing the people belonging to down trodden communities and alleged that she had got a feed back from State leadership that those who raise voice against the same are implicated in false cases.
Mayawati also accused the J&K Government of not implementing the Mandal Commission report in toto by depriving OBCs of 27 percent reservations.
BSP State president, Tulsi Dass Langeh and party J&K in charge and MP Narinder Kashyap were among others who also addressed the election meeting.