Zee Media Bureau
Lucknow: Ex-chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Mayawati, on Tuesday demanded President`s rule in the state in the backdrop of the ongoing doctor`s strike which even forced Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh to give a 10-day ultimatum to the Akhilesh Yadav-led government.
Speaking during a press conference, BSP chief Mayawati today said, “We want President`s rule in Uttar Pradesh as the Akhilesh government has totally failed to discharge its duties.”
“The SP government is behind deterioration of law and order situation in the state,” she added.
Further accusing both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and SP of having a tacit understanding ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, she said, “Muslims have suffered due to communal violence both in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh.”
She also attacked Congress for "rampant corruption", spiraling prices and not doing enough for minorities, backwards and poor. But at the same time she skirted an attack on Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.
"In his rally in Allahabad on Sunday, Mulayam Singh Yadav accused Narendra Modi on the issue of post-Godhra riots. We also agree that the issue should be raised. But it is the same Allahabad where in SP`s previous regime communal flareup took place and girls were sexually assaulted. There was no justice for the victims. Yadav made no mention of it," she said.
Mayawati alleged that BJP and SP have a tacit understanding to polarise the voters in UP ahead of General Elections. "But I am sure the Muslims will see through the game... In fact they (BJP and SP) are in the same boat. Chor chor mausere bhai," she claimed.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said BJP president Rajnath Singh`s remarks that he was ready to apologise to Muslims for any mistake will have a little impact as "most of the Gujarat riot victims were Muslims who are yet to recover from the trauma".
She said around 150 incidents of communal riots have taken place in Uttar Pradesh during the present SP regime. "The victims of Muzaffarnagar and Shamli are yet to recover," she said.
When asked why she was silent on Rahul who too had been attacking BSP in UP, Mayawati said since he has not been declared as Congress` PM candidate, she would "not be able to comment on him".
She also claimed that SP leaders have placed themselves into various "camps" to loot Uttar Pradesh.
"In Gujarat there was no Lokayukta for the last 10 years. Is this not corruption? In Lucknow, Modi accused BSP of indulging in corruption. I think he should use the same words for (BS) Yeddyurappa who was BJP`s CM in Karnataka...," Mayawati said.
"Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee`s niece Karuna Shukla while joining Congress accused Modi of failing to follow `pati dharma` and raj dharma`. How can a person then follow rashtra dharma? These are her words. She knows better as she was in BJP," she said.
She quoted Congress leaders as saying that Modi never sold tea and was in fact a contractor in the business of tea vending.
"He claims to be a backward. But he has never mentioned his caste... I think most of what he says in not true," the BSP president said.
Responding to a volley of questions, Mayawati ruled out any tie up with Congress and BJP after elections.
"We extended outside support to UPA to keep out communal forces. We in fact do not agree with the policies of Congress-led alliance at the Centre," she said.
When asked about BJP, she said Opposition parties were spreading misinformation that BSP could tie up with BJP after elections as the two have shared power in Uttar Pradesh.
"This is a bid to keep Muslims away from BSP. But it will never happen," she said.
Skirting posers on her prime ministerial ambitions, she said she cannot predict poll results.
"The workers are working hard. I hope their efforts pay dividend. Then BSP will be the balance of power at the Centre. You had asked whether we will align with any party. Once we are the balance of power, then parties will come to us instead," she said.
On the question of Ram Vilas Paswan returning to NDA fold, she said he was "an opportunist who would join any side to remain an MP and become a minister."
With PTI inputs
