http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/11026500.cms
Dalits must conquer Delhi, says Maya
Ashish Tripathi, TNN | Dec 8, 2011, 04.16AM IST
LUCKNOW: Ahead of the state assembly elections, UP chief minister and
BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday launched 160 development projects worth
Rs 1,500 crore on the occasion of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar's
Mahaparinirvan (death anniversary) diwas. While invoking Ambedkar, she
reminded Dalits that their ultimate aim is to form government at the
Centre.
Showing her prime ministerial ambition again, Mayawati said "Babasaheb
struggled to provide Dalits rights in the Constitution to bring them
at par with other sections of society and now we have to take his
mission to all the corners of the country". For which, she added,
Dalits will have to keep in mind that they not only have to ensure
BSP's victory in UP but also have to capture power in Delhi.
The projects announced by Mayawati included several related to
drinking water and electricity supply worth Rs 267 for the Bundelkhand
region comprising seven districts. While Rs 179 crore has been marked
for Chitrakoot, Jhansi has been given Rs 42 crore and Mahoba Rs 14
crore. The projects will provide benefit to the people in the other
four districts as well. Rest of the development projects worth Rs
1,233 crore are for other parts of the state
Mayawati's announcement assumes importance in the light of recent
visit of deputy chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia
to Jhansi to review progress of Rs 7,263 crore development project for
Bundelkhand (regions in UP and Madhya Pradesh included) sanctioned by
the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre. He had expressed
dissatisfaction over the progress of work in UP.
Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi is expected to take up the
neglect of Bundelkhand development to attack Mayawati during his
second phase of poll campaign starting next week. Maya had rebutted
allegations of tardy development work progress in Bundelkhand and
accused the Centre of not releasing special package of Rs 80,000 crore
she had asked for the Bundelkhand and East UP. Now by announcing
projects for Bundelkhand, 'done from limited state resources', she has
tried to counter Congress's attack in the run up to assembly elections
due in April 2012.
Mayawati made announcements after paying tribute to Ambedkar. While
addressing hundreds of party workers assembled at Smajik Prerna Sthal,
a memorial built for Dalit icons in Lucknow, Maya lashed out at
Opposition parties for targeting her party leaders through media over
the corruption issue and exhorted her supporters to give a befitting
reply to rivals by ensuring the victory of BSP in the coming assembly
polls.
Mayawati said Opposition parties were constantly attacking her party
and its leaders on petty issues because they have no other issues to
talk about.
"With only some time left for the assembly polls, Opposition have lost
their sleep," she said. Describing rival parties as anti-Dalit, she
said that none of them gave due honour to dalit saints and leaders and
created hurdles in construction of Dalit memorials in UP by her
government.
The chief minister said that only BSP is taking forward the work
started by Babasaheb to uplift and empower Dalits and marginalised
sections of the society. However, she added, despite working
relentlessly for the cause for last two decades, still a lot has to be
done for the masses suppressed since ages. She claimed that her
government has been working for poor in all castes and communities,
particularly Dalits, back
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