Mayawati sounds election bugle, alleges 'UPA, Akhilesh Govt are anti-Dalit'

Addressing thousands of her supporters at the Ambedkar Park here on the sixth death anniversary of her mentor Kanshi Ram, Mayawati said, "I strongly condemn the Congress government at the Centre for not declaring a day of mourning in the country when Kanshi Ram died."

"October 9 was declared as a state government holiday by us, but that was rescinded by the Akhilesh Yadav Government three days ago," she added.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati (File pic)

Mayawati, who was addressing her first rally since she was ousted by the Samajwadi Party in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections seven months ago, asked the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) party workers not to forgive the other political outfits for the treatment meted out to late Kanshi Ram.

"We must expose their casteist mentality. He (Kanshi Ram) gave me the entire responsibility of the movement to me - the sole inheritor of his political legacy. I have been trying to take the movement forward in his name," said Mayawati.

"People are not being able to digest the recognition given to him - the districts and educational institutions named after him, the Samajwadi Party has remanded many institutions named after Kanshi Ram and other Dalit leaders," she added.

The Samajwadi Party Government had earlier this month cancelled the October 9 public holiday on the death anniversary of BSP founder Kanshi Ram.

Accusing the Akhilesh Government of worsening the law and order situation in the state, Mayawati said that under the Samajwadi Party (SP), the state has been turned from ''Uttar Pradesh'' to ''Crime Pradesh''.

"People are scared to send out their sisters and wives even in the day due to lawlessness. UP has become ''Crime Pradesh''. In matters of crime, Uttar Pradesh has become number one in the country," said Mayawati.

"Muslims were promised reservations by the Samajwadi Party. However, SP has not taken any steps to fulfil their promises. The Yadav community has also been ignored," she added.

Mayawati also blamed the Akhilesh Yadav-led Government for breaking statues of not just her, but also of Ambedkar, saying, "If it weren''t for Dr Ambedkar you would have seen Mulayam Singh and family members handling the buffaloes of upper caste persons".

She also accused the government of changing the names of various state welfare schemes that were launched under the name of Baba Saheb Ambedkar and other eminent leaders.

Mayawati's rally puts into motion her campaign for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Kanshi Ram, born on March 15, 1934, founded the BSP in 1984 and died on 9 October 2006.

The BSP, after assuming power in 2007, had notified a holiday under Negotiable Instruments Act on Nirvan Diwas (death anniversary) of Kanshi Ram. Another holiday - but not under Negotiable Instrument Act - was declared on Kanshi Ram's birthday, on March 15.
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