Latest News Update: Feb 9, 2012

Thursday, February 9, 2012

[ZESTCaste] BSP man under scanner

http://www.ianslive.in/index.php?param=news/383580/Latest%20News/31

BSP man under scanner

IANS

Lucknow, Feb 10: The Election Commission on Thursday charged Bahujan
Samaj Party (BSP) general secretary Satish Misra of violating the
model code of conduct.

A show cause notice was issued to Misra late Thursday evening, asking
him to explain his conduct during a public rally at Chandauli district
on Feb 5, when he allegedly appealed to the audience in the name of
caste.

"Mr. Misra was found to have openly made appeals to his audience at
the public rally to vote for the BSP since it was only political
outfit combining the dalit and upper caste vote," a poll panel
official told reporters here.

"He has been asked to submit his explanation latest by Feb 12," he added.

Asked if anyone had made a complaint against Misra, the official said:
"We have video recordings of the public rally where Mr. Misra went
about repeatedly referring to BSP's Dalit-Brahmin social engineering."

According to the official, use of caste, creeds or religion in public
meetings was not permissible under the model code of conduct.

Misra had first shot into the spotlight as BSP's Brahmin mascot for
playing a key role in building the "rainbow coalition" of the upper
caste community with Dalits, the party's support base.

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[ZESTCaste] Behenji versus everyone in UP poll race

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120210/jsp/nation/story_15116518.jsp

Behenji vs everyone in poll race
RADHIKA RAMASESHAN
Mayawati at a rally in Allahabad on Thursday. (AP)

Chunar (Mirzapur), Feb. 9: Pyarelal Prajapati, the chief of the BSP in
this ancient town,replete with mythological and historical resonance,
sounded sagely and detached towards his party.

He quoted a Biblical aphorism: "As you sow, so (shall) you reap."

Asked for whom the saying was meant, Prajapati, in a BSP blue
tracksuit, paused and said: "Behenji."

"She has not used her mandate fully. She did for the Dalits what the
Gandhi-Nehrus never did in so many decades. But there are serious
flaws. The fruits of the schemes meant for the Dalits have not been
uniformly distributed. Some Dalits have had to bribe to get houses
under the Kanshi Ram housing project even though it was their rightful
entitlement."

Asked how the palpable disenchantment would impact voters, Prajapati
answered: "The Samajwadi's winning here."

Some 45km away in a village near Varanasi called Ludhangar, Hori Lal,
a retired government employee and a Jatav like Mayawati, appeared
fatalistic. "It's everybody versus Behenji. The rest can't stomach her
pro-Dalit agenda. She's being sacrificed for us. We hope she will rise
again. Otherwise the BSP's mission will regress by 10 years."

Across the Poorvanchal region — from Allahabad eastwards to Varanasi,
Mirzapur, Gorakhpur, Deoria and Salempur — voters are openly speaking
about an "oust Mayawati" campaign being under way.

In the cacophany of voices that work themselves to an anti-Mayawati
crescendo — usually from every caste, forward, backward and
intermediate — there is one in support of the BSP chief. It is the
voice of a BSP cadre member, usually a Jatav, struggling to make a
point that the others are unprepared to take. Despite many of them
admitting they voted the BSP in 2007.

None of Mayawati's detractors can explain cogently the reasons for the
turnaround.

In a marketplace at Tarkuluwan Bazar in Deoria, Ram Pratap, a Jatav,
declared screaming: "History will be kinder to Mayawati than her
fair-weather supporters. She has integrated 22 per cent of the most
oppressed population into the political mainstream. People who were
intimidated by the Rajputs and Jats from voting now walk to the
booths, heads held high."

Abdul Qayoom Khan and Surinder Yadav, Samajwadi backers, cut him
midway. "Enough, you've had your say and your way for five years. Your
Behenji has only worked for Dalits. To the rest of us, she has brought
misery: corruption, petty and big, urea at black market rates, an
unresponsive administration," Yadav said.

The manifest "gang-up" against Mayawati, as her votaries call it, is
translating itself into a surge of support for Samajwadi chief Mulayam
Singh Yadav across the eastern region containing 111 of the 403
Assembly seats.

If his Yadavs, in an unprecedented display of solidarity, are out to
prove they can equal, if not surpass, Mayawati's Dalit power, in
several places the upper castes, including the Brahmins and the Banias
— the former's allegiance so far veered between the Congress and the
BJP — have rooted for the Samajwadi. They hardly have a choice because
the Congress and the BJP are not seen as strong enough contenders.

"It marks the arrival of a new social coalition of the BYM,
Brahmins-Yadavs-Muslims," said Jai Prakash Rana, the block pramukh of
Buxa Bazar in Jaunpur, near Varanasi. He added: "In 2007, the Brahmins
went to the BSP because of Satish Mishra (who had crafted a new
Brahmin-Dalit axis). Like Dhritirashtra, he has blinded himself to the
realities. The Congress and the BJP are not strong enough options. So
Brahmins are trying out Mulayam this time," Rana said.

Rajneesh Shukla, who teaches comparative philosophy in Varanasi's
Sampooranand University and is counted as a resource person on east
Uttar Pradesh for some of Delhi's best known psephologists, did a
reality check and explained that the so-called BYM axis was post-facto
reasoning by the Brahmins to justify what he said was a "one-election
tactic to choose a lesser evil over a greater one".

Observers recalled the visceral hatred Brahmins had harboured towards
Mulayam in the Ayodhya era and never fully shed their antipathy
despite his outreach endeavours towards the community."The Brahmins
are not a political vote-bank, they are choosy. The Samajwadi has not
given a structure to integrate social groupings like the BSP had. If
there is a Samajwadi candidate with a solid Muslim-Yadav core vote,
and if the Brahmin vote polarises the electorate against Mayawati, he
will win," Shukla said.

To fortify his flanks, Mulayam has evidently left nothing to chance.
The Yadavs, who in the past either rebuffed the Samajwadi's Muslim
candidates out of pro-Hindu feelings or voted caste nominees from
other parties, have been told by community elders that if they were
caught voting a non-Samajwadi person, they would be socially
ostracised.

To end with another vignette from Chunar.

The out-of-work cell, tasked with distributing the monthly
unemployment doles in the Mulayam regime, has reportedly restarted the
apparatus and begun listing applicants. Mayawati had scrapped the
scheme which is now costing her the youth votes.

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[ZESTCaste] HC directive to CBI to file counter

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/hc-directive-to-cbi-to-file-counter/961295.html

HC directive to CBI to file counter
PTI | 09:02 PM,Feb 09,2012

Madurai,Feb 9 (PTI) The Madras High Court Bench here has directed the
CBI to file a counter to a plea seeking a probe by the agency into the
murder of a dalit boy of Pallapatcheri village in Ramanathapuram
district, on Sept10,a day before the police firing at Paramakudi in
which six Dalits were killed. A Division Bench of Justice N. Paul
Vasanthakumar and Justice P. Devadass directed the investigating
agency to clarify its stand in writing by February 14. S. Rozario
Sundarraj, Special Public Prosecutor for CBI, submitted the murder
case was in no way connected with the firing which was now being
probed by the agency as per court orders. The Petition had been filed
by the victim, T Palanikumar's father. The petitioner claimed that
justice might not be meted out to his murdered son unless the case was
handed over to the CBI and investigated in accordance with law under
the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities)
Act, 1989. He prayed for a direction to local police to close a FIR
registered against some Dalits under IPC sections including 147
(rioting) and 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) apart
from other provisions of the Tamil Nadu Property (Prevention of Damage
and Loss) Act pursuant to the murder. Six persons died in the police
firing after a crowd of Dalits allegedly indulged in violence
following detention of their leader John Pandian while on his way to
pay homage to Dalit leader Imanuel Sekar on his death anniversary at
Paramakudi.PTI SSN BN

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[ZESTCaste] Appeal in HC against acquittal in Mirchpur Dalit killings

http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/appeal-in-hc-against-acquittal-in-mirchpur-dalit-killings/961226.html

Appeal in HC against acquittal in Mirchpur Dalit killings
PTI | 07:02 PM,Feb 09,2012

Delhi, Feb 9 (PTI) The kin of a 70-year-old Dalit, who was burnt alive
in April 2010 at Haryana's Mirchpur village along with his
physically-challenged daughter, has moved the Delhi High Court
challenging the trial court's acquittal of 82 accused. They have also
sought enhancement of the sentence for 12 of the convicts as five of
them were awarded five years jail term and seven others were let off
on probation of one year. The appeal came up for hearing before a
bench comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Pratibha Rani, which
posted the matter for hearing on February 22 asking the victim's
family members and some eye witnesses who have challenged the trial
court verdict to be present personally. The 15 convicts, belonging to
the Jat community, were held guilty by a trial court in Delhi for
setting ablaze victim Tara Chand's house, which resulted in his death
along with his teenaged daughter at Mirchpur village of Hissar
district on April 21, 2010. The incident took place following a
dispute between Jat and Dalit communities. The victim's family members
and three villagers have approached the high court against the trial
court verdict. They said the dominant community had extended threats
to the victims who deposed before the trial court as a witnesses, in
the case.

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[ZESTCaste] 16-yr-old girl promised film roles, raped

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/16-yr-old-girl-promised-film-roles-raped/articleshow/11830424.cms

16-yr-old girl promised film roles, raped
TNN | Feb 10, 2012, 03.25AM IST

BHOPAL: Betul police are looking into a complaint of a minor Dalit
girl, who alleged that a man took her to Mumbai by a man on promise of
getting her a lead role in Bollywood films and was raped for a month.
The tribal-dominated district hit headline recently in the wake of
incidents of sexual harassment by teachers.

The 16-year-old girl and her parents lodged the complaint with the
Sarni police on Thursday, accusing one Rakesh of taking her to Mumbai.
She had gone to Mumbai with Rakesh without informing her parents.

She told the police that in Mumbai, Rakesh allegedly took her around
and showed houses of superstar Sharukh Khan and Hritiik Roshan. She
reportedly told the police that the accused asked her to work in an
illegal beer bar till that time she got a break in Bollywood films,
but she refused. Later, the accused kept her in captivity in his flat
and raped her, she alleged.

The teenaged girl was rescued by her parents, who came to know that
she had gone to Mumbai along with Rakesh, who hailed from Sarni and
worked in Mumbai. They went to Mumbai and brought her back and lodged
the complaint, Sarni police said, adding that the matter was being
looked into.

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[ZESTCaste] Dalit dilemma: Mayawati faces a tough battle

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/dalit-dilemma-mayawati-faces-a-tough-battle/228811-37-170.html

Elections | Updated Feb 10, 2012 at 09:43am IST
Dalit dilemma: Mayawati faces a tough battle
Sagarika GhoseSagarika Ghose, CNN-IBN

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati faces a tough battle in
the assembly elections.

Though her rallies so far have been massive leading to the belief that
her own Dalit votebank is intact, but some members of the community
face a dilemma about Mayawati.

She's still a symbol of Dalit empowerment, but have her policies
benefited them all?

The crowds have been mammoth at the rallies addressed by the Uttar
Pradesh Chief Minister. As Mayawati's helicopter descends, the crowd
bursts into waves and chanting.

"Chhade vipaksha ki chhaati par, button dabaaao Haathi par," says
Mayawati addressing a huge rally.

The support of the BSP chief is running high.

"Till I am alive, Mayawati should remain the chief minister," says a
charged up supporter of Mayawati.

"She is a part of my heart," says another.

The Election Commission's move of covering the Bahujan Samaj Party's
elephants has also struck a strong emotional chord.

"Cycles and cars are not covered, why only elephants," asks an old supporter.

Another supporter adds, "When the elephant is in the heart, it doesn't
matter if the statues are covered."

From the looks of it, Mayawati's vote bank is intact. Ambedkar
villages, schools for girls and boys and a new hospital have
contributed to a sense of well being in Mayawati's own constituency.
She herself sounded confident when she spoke to CNN-IBN.

"We have worked so much in all the fields that no government after
independence from any party has been able to do," said Mayawati.

Satish, an advocate from Ambedkar Village says, "The amount of work
that has been done here in 5 years, could not have been done by anyone
else even in 15 years."

However, some Dalits complain that they haven't got everything they
wanted from Mayawati.

"Mayawati has completely stopped the Dalit movement. She does not
think about Dalit," says a bearded man outside Ambedkar Mandir in
Harora.

"She has cheated Ambedkarwad. She has cheated the mission. She has
cheated the poors," says one Dhani Ram Panther.

Meanwhile, in the backward region of Bundelkhand, where Congress
general secretary Rahul Gandhi has been making an extra effort to woo
backward castes, there is support for the Congress.

"We have seen all the governments, but not seen Congress yet.
Therefore, we'll make Congress win this time," says a voter.

There are misgivings about Mayawati's policy of Sarvajan Samaj, at the
same time appreciation of her development work. The Dalits of Uttar
Pradesh are in a dilemma about the woman who is the face of their
empowerment.

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[ZESTCaste] Compensation rates for SC/ST victims raised by 150 per cent

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2876212.ece

NEW DELHI, February 9, 2012
Compensation rates for SC/ST victims raised by 150 per cent
Special Correspondent

The Union government has enhanced the compensation to the Scheduled
Castes/Scheduled Tribes victims of different categories of atrocities
from minimum Rs. 20, 000 to Rs. 50, 000 and maximum from Rs. 250, 000
to Rs. 500,000.

The new rates of compensation follow amendments to the Scheduled Caste
and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) (Amendment) Rules
2011, which has come into effect from December 23.

According to the Ministry of Social Justice it is the first time that
the scale of relief has been revised since the Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules, was first laid down
in 1995.

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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati govt wasting money on parks: Priyanka

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Specials/Coverage/Assembly-Elections-2012/Chunk-HT-UI-AssemblyElections2012-UP-TopStories/Mayawati-govt-wasting-money-on-parks-Priyanka/SP-Article10-809021.aspx

Mayawati govt wasting money on parks: Priyanka
Press Trust Of India
CSM Nagar (UP), February 09, 2012
First Published: 17:18 IST(9/2/2012)

Congress' star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday launched a
frontal attack on the BSP government in Uttar Pradesh alleging that it
was wasting money on statues and parks instead of development of the
state.

Addressing a series of poll meetings at CSM Nagar, UP, Priyanka said there is
a chance to effect a change in the state after 22 years and sought
votes for bringing the Congress to power.

She alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government led by Mayawati was
wasting money and parks and not on development.

"Public money is not for leaders, it is for common man. It is not for
statues or parks. The UP government has looted the state...It is time
to bring in change in Uttar Pradesh after 22 years," Priyanka said.

"Your vote will determine your future for the next five years.
Strengthen the hands of Congress and bring it to power," she said.

Campaigning in the twin family pocket boroughs of Amethi and Rae
Bareli, Priyanka said that there is a "wind in favour of Congress in
the state this time".

Accompanied by her two children, Rehan and Miraya, she arrived in UP
on Thursday morning to start the next leg of her campaigning in the
poll-bound Uttar Pradesh.

"Rahul is touring the state extensively for bringing in a change and
he would definitely do it...there is a wind in favour of the Congress
this time," she said while addressing a meeting in Karhaiya Bazar area
under Salon Assembly constituency in favour of party nominee Shiv
Balak Pasi.

Recalling the performance of the non-Congress governments in the past
22 years, Priyanka said that while SP set up goonda raj, BSP developed
a handful of its leaders from the development funds at the cost of the
state and its people.

"By taking over power in the name of caste and community people have
harmed the interests of the state and its people," she said.

"The benefit of the central schemes did not reach you as the
government in power was looking after its own interests and benefits,"
she said, adding that in the past 22 years the non-Congress
governments have been busy saving goondas, mafias and the corrupt.

The Congress campaigner said that she was happy that none of her party
MLAs have faced charges of murder or corruption whereas others
belonging to non-Congress parties have been found involved in it.

Priyanka also mingled with the women present in the meeting on coming
down the dais after her address.

She is supposed to address about 20 meetings on Thursday starting from
Rasulpur area in Salon constituency, Congress media in-charge Jagdish
Piyush had said on Wednesday.

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[ZESTCaste] Maya blames Congress, BJP for sorry state of UP

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Maya-blames-Congress-BJP-for-sorry-state-of-UP/articleshow/11831288.cms

Maya blames Congress, BJP for sorry state of UP
Ashraf Jamal, TNN | Feb 10, 2012, 05.21AM IST

Mayawati blames Congress's faulty policies for poverty and
unemployment in Uttar Pradesh

ALLAHABAD: BSP supremo Mayawati blamed the Congress's faulty policies
for the poverty and unemployment in the state. She said that Congress
ruled the state for as many as 40 years after independence and is thus
responsible for widespread poverty, which also led to migration of
people to other states for livelihood.

She was addressing a gathering at the Parade Grounds on Thursday. She
asserted that the state treaded on the path of development since the
BSP government assumed the reins of power with full majority in 2007
and followed the policy of 'Sarva Jan Hitaya, Sarva Jan Sukhaye'.

The government has cared for the interests of all sections of the
society despite resource crunch. She, however, blamed the Centre for
creating hurdles in the development of the State. She accused the UPA
government for not sanctioning the amount of Rs 80,000 crore as
economic package for the development of Bundelkhand region.

She also stressed that her government has send proposal of Rs 36,000
for the development of the Poorvaanchal region but the Centre did not
released the amount. She held Congress government responsible for
rising inflation rates that has affected the poor and middle class
section of the society. Her government's hope of developing the state
with the participation of private sector also did not find favour from
the central government.

The Centre created hurdles in the development of eight-lane Ganga
Expressway from Greater Noida to Balia. This lane would also have
passed through Allahabad. She pointed out that state had to grapple
with financial woes as the Centre did not released the funds on time,
which effected the development of the state and public welfare
activities. She also took a potshot at 'Congress Yuvraj' Rahul Gandhi,
who claims to respect Kanshi Ramji but his party did not deem it fit
to even observe one day mourning when the Dalit icon died.

She added that Kanshi Ramji led a life replete with sacrifice, hard
work and betterment of the Dalit people. We will never forgive Rahul
Gandhi and the Congress party for this ignominy. Taking a swipe at
Congress party's comment-- ' Mayawati satta mein aane se pehle thik
karya karti thi par satta mein aane ke bad thik karya nahin karti
(Mayawati used to perform better before assuming the reins of power
but after taking power she is not performing well)-the diminutive
leader blasted, "Earlier, I used to visit villages and cities and beg
for justice. However, with the master key of political power with me
now, I help in giving justice. I inspect villages and cities and
establish rule of law in the State."

She lauded state government for being able to maintain peace and
communal amity on the crucial day of September 30, 2010 when the high
court delivered judgment on Ram Janam Bhoomi- Babri Masjid issue. "I
made surprise inspections of about 75 districts and reviewed law and
order situation," she added. On the issue of corruption, she blamed
the Congress, SP and BJP. There have been many corruption cases in the
UPA government in the past 31 months summing up to a whopping amount
of Rs 20,000 crore.

During the regime of SP government, there was food scam and police
constable recruitment scam. She also blamed the BJP for adopting
double standards on the issue of corruption and black money. Despite
remaining in power for many years at the Centre, they did not take any
step to bring back the black money back into the country.

Further, BJP is also riddled in corruption in the state of Karnataka.
In the meeting, all the candidates contesting in the twelve assembly
segments of Allahabad and three assembly segments of Kaushambi were
present.

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[ZESTCaste] BJP leader Jaitley flays UP Chief Minister Mayawati for misgovernance

http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/2012/02/09/266846-BJP-leader-Jaitley-flays-UP-Chief-Minister-Mayawati-for-misgovernance.html

BJP leader Jaitley flays UP Chief Minister Mayawati for misgovernance
Varanasi, Thu, 09 Feb 2012 ANI

Varanasi/ Azamgarh, Feb 9 (ANI): Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
leader Arun Jaitley has flayed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati
for misgovernance over the last five years.

"The five years of the government (Bahujan Samaj Party) were only
involved in extorting money; Corruption was deep-rooted in the
structure of the government," Jaitley told a gathering here.

"The chief minister and ministers are full of ego, the public cannot
approach them, and even the minister and the legislators cannot
approach the chief minister. They also worked towards dividing the
society," Jaitley added.

Jaitley further accused the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)
Government of seeing the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls as an
opportunity to re-establish their foothold.

"The UPA coalition has become a supporter of its own numbers. A few
their associates often drag them into a big fix, and that is why they
are watching Uttar Pradesh to complete their mathematics," Jaitley
said.

Meanwhile, a key aide of anti-graft activist Anna Hazare, Manish
Sisodia, has accused the Congress of being more worried about money
going into the pockets of rival parties.

"They (Congress) are sad about the fact that for last 21 years, the
people of Uttar Pradesh are being looted by the BSP, the SP and the
BJP, and not by them. Congress is not at all worried that Uttar
Pradesh is being looted, Congress is not worried that Uttar Pradesh is
filled with corruption," Sisodia added.

On the Samajwadi Party (SP), Sisodia said they are well aware of the
fact that if their party comes to power, the crime rate in the state
will touch new heights.

"SP chief Mulayam Singh is aware and his whole party is aware, that if
their party forms the next government, then what will be the condition
of Uttar Pradesh. That is why he has assured women in advance that
they should not worry even if they are raped, and added that his
government will provide them with jobs," Sisodia added.

The Uttar Pradesh polls are being viewed as an opportunity for major
parties to re-establish their foothold in the country's fifth largest
and most populous state.

A new 403-member state assembly will be elected in March. The poll
results will broadly indicate trends for the 2014 general elections.
(ANI)

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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati, Priyanka face off at Amethi

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120210/nation.htm#1

Mayawati, Priyanka face off at Amethi
Shahira Naim/TNS

Lucknow, February 9
Two star campaigners — BSP's Mayawati and Congress' Priyanka Gandhi
Vadra, who was accompanied by her children — addressed two public
meetings in Amethi today blaming each other's rule for the region's
backwardness.

BSP leader Mayawati waves to supporters; a BSP supporter sports the party symbol
(Clockwise from left) BSP leader Mayawati waves to supporters; a BSP
supporter sports the party symbol

"This region is not the Nehru-Gandhi family's 'babauti' (fiefdom),"
declared BSP supremo Mayawati while addressing a rally at Udharpur
village on the Sultanpur-Rae Bareli highway this morning.

Not mincing any words, she held the family responsible for the
backwardness of the region. "If the family had done some developmental
work for the region in the 40 years that the party was in power in the
state and the Centre, they wouldn't have had to indulge in the drama
of going door to door and holding roadside meetings," she said.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who arrived in Amethi today on the third round
of her campaigning in the present elections along with her children
Raihan and Miraya, addressed a meeting in which she blamed the various
governments which have ruled in the past 22 years of ignoring the
people of the region.

"Soniaji and Rahulji have sent me here as this is not an ordinary
election. After 22 years, there is an opportunity before you to vote
for change.

"So please ponder over issues and vote judiciously. It is not for my
or my family's honour but for your honour and the honour of the region
and state. In your happiness is the happiness of my family," was
Priyanka's emotional appeal to the gathered crowd, while her children
stood next to her looking bemused.

The face-off of these two leaders has a long history. It was the
clearly the popularity of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra which had forced
Mayawati to change the name of Amethi to Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj
Nagar during a "savdhaan rally" (caution rally) in Amethi on December
11, 2002, which was formally created on May 21, 2003.

The provocation for the sudden creation of the separate district of
Amethi was more political than administrative. Even then as is now,
the Congress and BSP were in direct confrontation for Dalit votes.

What made BSP chief Mayawati nervous then was the Congress', mainly
Priyanka Vadra's threat, to do 'kar seva' to rebuild the hutment of a
Dalit from Punnupur village whose house had been demolished by the
local Thakur landlord. The phenomenal public and media support for the
young leader had unnerved the BSP Chief Minister.

The extent of Mayawati's fears was visible when she held a "savdhaan
rally" (caution rally) in Amethi on December 11, 2002, to prevent
Dalits from being "misled" by Sonia Gandhi. It was at this rally that
she had declared Amethi as a separate district.

She named the newly created district Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar
with five tehsils - Amethi, Gauriganj and Musafirkhana of Sultanpur
district and Salon and Tiloi tehsils of Rae Bareli districts.

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[ZESTCaste] Rahul Gandhi takes on Mayawati in UP polls

http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/02/08/india-election-rahul-gandhi-mayawati-idINDEE81708T20120208

Rahul Gandhi takes on Mayawati in UP polls

By Adnan Abidi

AYODHYA, India | Wed Feb 8, 2012 7:54pm IST

(Reuters) - Millions voted in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, the first
stage of an election that tests support for Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh's troubled government ahead of a nationwide vote in two years.

The election in Uttar Pradesh, a state that is bigger than Brazil by
population, could have a bearing on who next governs India. It is a
closely fought four-way race pitting Rahul Gandhi, the scion of the
elite Gandhi dynasty, against Dalit leader Mayawati and two other
parties. Results will be announced on March 6.

Gandhi has staked his political reputation on reviving the Congress
party in a state it has not ruled for 22 years.

A good result could breathe new life into Prime Minister Singh's
second term, which has been plagued by corruption and splits in the
ruling coalition.

"It would boost the party's morale hugely. A better performance of the
party in these polls will give it the confidence it requires to
strategise for the general elections in 2014," said Pralay Kanungo,
professor at the centre for political studies at Delhi's Jawaharlal
Nehru University.

The son, grandson and great-grandson of former prime ministers, Gandhi
is considered likely to take over as prime minister from Singh, but
the timing is not clear. He said this week that becoming prime
minister did not interest him for now.

A poor showing in Uttar Pradesh would leave the Congress weaker than
ever as the country gears up for the general election. The party now
holds 22 of 403 seats in the local legislature and the most optimistic
forecasts would give it about 80.

'OTHERS DID NOTHING'

Known as the queen of the lower castes for her power and lavish
lifestyle, the chief minister of the state, Mayawati, has been
criticised for building statues of herself and spending millions of
rupees on diamond jewellery.

But supporters say she drove out violent mafias and made the state
safe for former untouchable castes and other downtrodden groups after
decades of abuse.

Uttar Pradesh, with 200 million people, is an unruly state that
stretches southeast from New Delhi, divided along its length by the
Ganges River. To avoid violence, voting is staggered over seven days.
Results from a total of five state elections are to be announced on
March 6.

Elections in Uttar Pradesh have traditionally been decided by voters'
affiliation to the caste or religion they were born into. This year is
no exception, with parties promising government jobs for the mostly
poor Muslim and lower caste populations.

"Mayawati helped the poor with education, and distributed bicycles to
students," said 65-year-old wooden shoemaker Khairun Nisa, wearing a
black traditional Muslim head-to-toe cloak. "She didn't do as much as
we hoped, but she did something, other governments did nothing."

"We should give her one more chance," she said after casting her vote
on a rainy day at a primary school in Ayodhya. Turnout reached 59
percent by the close of voting, the state electoral commission said.

The destruction of a mosque by hardline Hindus at Ayodhya in 1992
sparked religious riots that killed some 2,000 people and brought the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to national prominence.

This time, religious tensions have cooled and parties are trying to
woo voters with promises of welfare programmes, food subsidies and
affirmative action for government jobs.

Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party -- which enjoys a majority in the state
assembly -- is expected to take a battering as she loses the support
of higher castes who voted for her last time but feel she failed to
deliver economic development.

Both BJP and Congress are expected to pick up some of the votes she loses.

A scandal over funds for a health programme and linked to the murder
of four senior doctors has hurt Mayawati, and a purge of corrupt
officials this year was seen as coming too late.

Results are notoriously hard to predict in Uttar Pradesh -- where
millions live in distant villages without electricity or clean water
-- but several opinion polls suggest the Congress party could win
enough to form a government with the leftist Samajwadi Party, which
could emerge as the largest party.

The Samajwadi Party has a strong presence in the national parliament,
and a tie up could allow the Congress party to reduce the influence of
another volatile ally that has prevented Singh's government from
passing major economic reforms.

(Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Ron Popeski)

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[ZESTCaste] Mayawati's brother loots state; owns private airline

http://news.oneindia.in/2012/02/09/mayawati-s-brother-loots-state-owns-private-airline.html

Mayawati's brother loots state; owns private airline
Thursday, February 9, 2012, 11:38 [IST]

Uttar Pradesh, Feb 9: Kirit Somaiya, BJP leader, has claimed that
Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati's brother owns a private
airlines that is being funded by the 'money looted from the state
exchequer' and said that he has enough documentary proof to back his
claim.

Somaiya has also asked for a high level probe into the matter of what
he said looks like a case of money laundering.

Somaiya, BJP's Scam Expose Committee convenor, presented documents
that showed Anand Kumar, Mayawati's brother as the owner of a private
airline - Indiana Air Pvt Ltd, registered in New Delhi.

"The aviation firm is a part of Anand Kumar group of companies, which
include a consortium of some 300 fake firms," he alleged.

"Obviously, this is a fit case of money laundering. After all, who
does all the money belong to? I am sure it is money looted from the
state exchequer of Uttar Pradesh," Somaiya alleged.

"I have enough documentary evidence to substantiate my charges," Somaiya added.

The Mayawati government has till now not reacted on the allegation
levelled against her brother and her.

According to Somaiya, her brother's airlines is 'directly linked to a
web of companies owned by Anand Kumar and his wife Vichitra Lata,
whose only child is known to be very close to Mayawati'.

Mayawati's brother's airlines is shown to be registered in 2010, while
other companies are shown to be registered in 2011 in Mumbai. Among
these were SDS Housing Pvt Ltd, SDS Farmlands Pvt Ltd, Frontage
Investments, DKP Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, Agroba Savings Ltd and Ashish
Construction Pvt Ltd.

"The glaring linkage between each of these different companies and
Anand Kumar is established by the fact that most of the directors of
the companies were common and they included either Anand Kumar or his
wife," the BJP leader alleged.

OneIndia News

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