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Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service
Lucknow, January 15
On her 63rd birthday BSP national president Mayawati on Tuesday appealed to the workers of both BSP and Samajwadi Party to set aside past grievances and put their might in strengthening the alliance register a historical victory.
"UP decides who will come to power in the centre and who will become the prime minister. The announcement of the BSP-SP alliance has robbed the BJP and other parties of their sleep. I want the people to ensure the victory of the alliance. It would be the best and most precious birthday gift that the people can give me”, said Mayawati.
She was addressing the ritual press conference on her birthday dressed in a pink shalwar-qameez, a colour reserved for the occasion.
Mayawati also made a move to win over the support of the Muslims by pitching for reservation for them on economic grounds.
While welcoming the 10 per cent reservation for economically deprived upper castes, she said that the Muslims also need support as their participation in government jobs had sharply declined from 33 per cent at the time of independence to 2-3 per cent at present times.
She also attacked the BJP for targeting the Muslims and now even misusing the government machinery to create a controversy around Friday prayers.
She did not spare the Congress either. Mayawati once again criticised the party for ignoring the interest of the marginalized, Dalits, OBCs, minorities, and especially farmers during their long rule.
She said that it was due to the poor condition of these sections that the BSP was set up on April 14, 1984.
Beating both the BJP and Congress with the same stick Mayawati said that the results of the recently-concluded state elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh had a strong political message for not only the BJP but also “Congress party and company”.
According to her, the disappointment with the Congress had already set in as the promises made to the farmers were only partially being met.
"The big question is why the farm loan waiver cut offs have been set to nine months ago. Also these governments are only waiving loans up to Rs 2 lakh. This will not help farmers in any manner," said Mayawati.
Keeping the ground realities in mind Mayawati urged the central and state governments to establish a dialogue for a long term comprehensive solution to the farmers’ problems.
She strongly recommended the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission for a satisfactory solution of the farmers’ problems.
Once again equating the Rafale and Bofors deals Mayawati suggested the central government to engage with the opposition to draw up a long term and transparent mechanism for defence purchases so that controversies around them could be eliminated.
She also claimed that her BSP had never been a stooge of the capitalist and big industry, "unlike others who ultimately end up only writing off the loans of big industrialists", said Mayawati.
Describing Chief Minister Aditynath’s rule in Uttar Pradesh as “nirala” (peculiar), she said money was being poured into projects that had nothing to do peoples welfare or development and where founds could easily be misused and further fuelling corruption.
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