Maya fires back: Cong casteist, ignored Ambedkar
Express news service Posted online: Thursday , Apr 15, 2010 at 0236 hrs
Lucknow : Mayawati made no mention of the Congress yatras or Rahul
Gandhi as she addressed her party workers here. Instead, she chose to
attack the Congress using the Dalit plank, and called it casteist. She
accused the Congress of ignoring B R Ambedkar and other Dalit icons
and not giving them due respect.
"That is why our government decided to build parks and memorials
dedicated to Ambedkar and other great men who were born in Dalits and
backward communities," Mayawati said while addressing BSP workers
after offering flowers at Ambedkar's statue at the Bhim Rao Ambedkar
Samajik Parivartan Sthal.
She said Ambedkar was conferred Bharat Ratna 1990 when a non-Congress
government was in power at the Centre and the BSP entered the Lok
Sabha for the first time.
Contrary to expectations, Mayawati chose not to visit Ambedkarnagar,
where the BSP had organised a parallel rally to the Congress's yatra
programme as part of its statewide protests against the Women's
Reservation Bill. Instead, she took off in a helicopter and made an
aerial survey of the BSP protests in some districts.
Mayawati also blamed the BJP and other parties that ruled the country
for ignoring the Dalit leaders. "I want to tell you that the Congress,
BJP and other parties have ruled at the Centre in the last 63 years
after independence. Out these 63 years, the Congress ruled for about
50 years at the Centre and 38 years in the state. Presently also,
there is a Congress government at the Centre," she said. "All these
parties ignored Ambedkar and the saints who were born in Dalit because
of their casteist mentality. In particular, the role of the Congress
was despicable."
Regarding the Women's Bill, Mayawati said it was against the thoughts
of Ambedkar. The Bill was also unfair to women from Dalit, backward,
minorities and the poor among the upper castes because they won't get
quota.
Later, the BSP issued a statement, saying Ambedkar wanted women to
progress in every field. That is why he tried to get the Hindu Code
Bill passed by Parliament, but the Congress betrayed him and Ambedkar
had to resign as Union Law Minister.
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