Modi a `divisive` leader, Congress failed on all fronts: Mayawati

Chandigarh: BSP supremo Mayawati on Sunday kept up her attack on Narendra Modi, claiming he was trying to create an illusion that if BJP came to power "everything will be set right" in the country.

She also described the BJP`s prime ministerial candidate as a "divisive leader" and expressed fear that the country might witness communal riots if he came to power at the Centre. "During his public meetings, Narendra Modi often boasts that if BJP comes to power, everything plaguing this country will be set right and the country will be put on the track of development. He is trying to create this illusion," she said. Mayawati was addressing an election rally here in favour of party candidates from Chandigarh and neighbouring Himachal Pradesh. The BSP supremo also questioned Modi as to why his party-led government failed to set things right when NDA ruled the country for six years. "Why did they not do it then? When we ask their leaders, they do not have an answer," Mayawati posed. She said BJP has made a person its prime ministerial candidate who is outright a divisive leader. "Modi is an all out divisive leader who presided over riots in Gujarat in 2002...The country will be gripped by riots and communal frenzy if he wrests power at the Centre. The onus is on the people of the country to stop him from capturing power," she said. The BSP supremo, who lent outside support to UPA-II for five years, also questioned the commitment of both Congress and BJP to bring back black money from foreign shores and said if it was brought back, it could help tackle the problem of poverty and unemployment to some extent. Targeting Congress, she said, "You are aware that without declaring Yuvraj`s (Rahul Gandhi) name as PM candidate, Congress is fighting the upcoming polls under him." "You also have to stop Congress from coming to power as it has failed on all fronts and has done nothing for the masses during over 50 years of its rule," she said in her 35-minute speech. Mayawati said, "Ever since the country gained Independence, Congress and BJP have ruled most of the time at the Centre and in the states. But even after over 65 years of country getting freedom, it is sad that social and economic situation of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities including Muslims is not very good." She said there were many states which were still affected by poverty and faced unemployment. "Many people are forced to move to other areas including Chandigarh in search of employment opportunities. In this city too, many people from UP and Bihar have come, but in many matters step-motherly treatment is meted out to them. Even those who are locals are also fed up with the government here," she claimed. Touching the reservation issue, she said, "Baba Saheb B R Ambedkar made untiring efforts to ensure that Scheduled Castes, STs and OBCs get reservation. Now, whatever facility of reservation in Centre and state government jobs these sections are getting, the parties who are opposed to us and some other forces are trying to bring changes in laws and attempts are being made to dilute this (current system of reservation)." "Under a well-hatched conspiracy, without increasing quota for those who are already getting reservation, many new clauses have been added so that those already getting the benefit get minimum benefit of reservation," she said. She said her party favoured introduction of reservation for poor people from the upper caste community as well. "The condition of poor and among upper castes is no better in our country. We had written to Centre on numerous occasions on this, but they have not taken any decision," she rued. "Poverty, price rise and unemployment have increased in our country," she further said. She also said that corruption has also been on increase in the country as the laws framed to curb the menace have proved to be inadequate. "Corruption is also on increase in this Union Territory and neighbouring HP has also been affected by it," she said. Mayawati also expressed her concern over the acts of terrorism. "Acts of terror and Naxalism are on increase, this is a matter of concern," she said, and blamed the "defective policies" of Congress and BJP for this. "If you want to rid the country of its ills, don`t bring back Congress or BJP and strengthen the hands of BSP and bring us to power at the Centre," she said. "This time you will have to show good results, so that BSP emerges as a strong force at the Centre...Like UP, we will run the government at the Centre which will work for welfare of all sections," she said and spelt out other steps which BSP will take, if it comes to power. She highlighted her government`s achievement on law and order front and prevention of riots by strictly dealing with such situation at the very outset in Uttar Pradesh. "During our rule, among our main achievement was to maintain communal harmony and to work for welfare of all sections of the society," she said. She claimed that if voted to power her government will work for the poor, downtrodden and other deprived sections, unlike the UPA and NDA coalitions which promise much, but fail to deliver. In an obvious reference to opinion polls, Mayawati said parties opposed to BSP try to project their strong footing through the media and asked the voters not be misled by this. She also said that to woo voters before the polls, new policies are framed by the government at the Centre, but these often get dumped when they come to power later on. "You also have to be wary of the poll manifestos of parties as not even half of promises are kept when they taste power. Don`t be influenced by false claims they make. We do not issue such manifestos, because we believe in doing work on the ground rather than making mere promises," she said. Mayawati urged the voters to support BSP "which is the only party which does not make castles in the air, but does work on the ground". Earlier, addressing a rally in Ambala in Haryana, she said voters must elect maximum BSP candidates so that the balance of power remains with the party which would enable it to play a crucial role in government formation at the Centre. She dubbed both Congress and BJP as "puppets in the hands of capitalists". Hitting out at UPA, Mayawati said there was an apprehension that the government wants to do away with reservations for SC and BC as "without correspondingly increasing the quota, more and more castes were being included for reservation."