Maya blasts Congress, others parties for ignoring Ambedkar
Rajesh Kumar Singh, Hindustan Times
Email Author
Lucknow, April 14, 2010
First Published: 14:26 IST(14/4/2010)
Last Updated: 17:17 IST(14/4/2010)
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Wednesday said her
government would not budge an inch to the pressure tactics of the
rival political parties over the construction of the Dalit memorials,
parks and statues.
"My government would continue to give due respect to the Dalit icons,"
she said.
On the occasion of the 119-birth anniversary Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar,
Mayawati chose the sprawling Ambedkar Memorial located on the bank of
river Gomti to hit out at the opposition particularly Congress that is
trying to make inroad into her Dalit vote bank.
The national general of Congress Rahul Gandhi as well as the leaders
of BJP and SP had charged the BSP government for spending crore from
public exchequer over the construction of the Dalit memorials, parks
and installation of the statues at Lucknow and NOIDA.
The birth anniversary of Ambedkar had virtually turned into a show of
strength between BSP and Congress in Uttar Pradesh with Rahul Gandhi
launching yatras at Ambedkar Nagar district located 150 km east of
Lucknow to woo the Dalit community.
Mayawati tried to project Congress as anti-Ambedkar. "The Congress
leaders not only ensured the defeat of Ambedkar in the Lok Sabha
election but also put hurdles in Hindu Code Bill that Ambedkar wished
to tabled in the Parlimaent as Union Law Minister," she said.
Replying to Opposition's tirade Mayawati on Wednesday said had
Congress and BJP government constructed memorials of Dalit leaders,
there was no need for her government to construct the parks and
memorials.
"The BSP government is working on the ideals of Bhim Rao Ambedkar and
the memorials are being constructed to honour the Dalit icons," she
said.
Hundreds of BSP workers had started assembling in the premises of the
Ambedkar memorial since early morning. Mayawati accompanied with the
national general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra arrived at 11 am.
After paying floral tribute to the statue of Ambedkar located under
the central dome she said though Congress government remained in power
at Centre for 50 years since independence it did not felicitate
Ambedkar with Bharat Ratna.
"Ambedkar not only played important role in the freedom movement but
also played pivotal role in the drafting of the Constitution. He
raised his voice for the welfare of the oppressed communities.
Congress government continued to ignore him, only when non-Congress
government came in power at the Centre in 1990 and BSP MPs were
elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time, Ambedkar was felicitated
with Bharat Ratna," she added.
Mayawati further said her party was not against the Women Reservation
Bill but wanted reservation for the SC/ST women, religious minorities,
backward class and poor among the upper castes.
"The rein of BSP as well as UP is in the hand of a Dalit woman and I
wish to work for the empowerment of the have-nots especially women,"
she said.
Later Mayawati boarded a chopper and left for the districts of West
Uttar Pradesh to make an aerial survey of the statewide dharna and
demonstration organised by her party in protest against the Women
Reservation Bill.
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