Chandigarh, June 24: The BSP today accused the Congress government in Punjab of being "anti-Dalit" and adopting "double standards" by objecting to Mayawati's proposed rally in Jalandhar district rocked by caste clashes recently. While chief minister Amarinder Singh has appealed to Mayawati to defer her rally saying it could flare up tension, he allowed his party leaders Manmohan Singh and Ambika Soni to visit the district days after the clashes rocked the area claiming life of a Dalit youth, BSP leader Narendra Kashyap told reporters.

Terming the Chief Minister's statement as "politically motivated" he accused the state government of adopting "double standards".

"Even the SC/ST chairman has been asked not to visit Jalandhar for the time being citing the reason that things had not come back to normal," Kashyap said.

The BSP leader said Mayawati's visit would not flare up the sentiments of dalits but act as a "balm to cool tempers which otherwise may ignite once again if she is not allowed to visit."

Punjab BSP president Avtar Singh Karimpuri claimed the Chief Minister had been "exposed" for his "inept" handling of the situation following the outbreak of caste clashes in Talhan village and was "nervous" about Mayawati's visit.

He said that BSP would hold an emergency meeting in Jalandhar tomorrow to chalk out the strategy to deal with "anti-dalit" approach of the Congress government.
Bureau Report