Farmers Movement Archive

BJP cheating people in the name Ram Mandir: BSP’s Satish Mishra

Prayagraj: Keeping up his attack on the BJP government in the state, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) national general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Satish Chandra Mishra on Wednesday alleged that the BJP had "cheated" the people in the name of Lord Ram and of playing the temple card only to gain votes. The BSP general secretary, who has been holding the Prabudh Varg Sammelans to woo the Brahmin voters, once again raised the issue of VHP's donation drive for the Ram Mandir and alleged that the BJP had collected huge donations in the name of temple construction, only to fill its coffers. Mishra was in neighbouring Pratapgarh district on Wednesday, attending a Prabudh Varg Sammelan, the BSP's outreach programme to win over Brahmin voters in the state ahead of the 2022 assembly elections. In his 65 minute-long-speech at Ram Nagar under Raniganj assembly segment of Pratapgarh district, Mishra claimed that the temple foundation of Ram Mandir was not complete even though it had been over a year and said that the BJP has plans to collect funds in the name of the temple until the very completion of the mandir. Mishra credited the BSP for the "overall development" of many places like Bithoor, Varanasi ghats, and Vrindavan during its regime. He said that it was the BSP chief and former chief minister Mayawati who had created 17 new districts and as a result, a series of development works could be carried out. Claiming that the BJP had "cheated" the youth in the name of employment, Mishra said that lakhs of people had lost their jobs in BJP's regime. "The highest unemployment rate in the last 45 years was registered under this Modi led Union government's regime," said Mishra. The BSP general secretary also claimed that agitated farmers were seeking justice but that the Union government is unwilling to hear out their problems on the three controversial farm laws. He also accused BJP of shutting down over 450 Sanskrit schools in the state. The Rajya Sabha MP, speaking on the power of BSP's 'social engineering', said that the time had come when 23 per cent of the traditional BSP votes and 13 per cent of Brahmin voters came together in Uttar Pradesh to "uproot" the Yogi led BJP government in the state in 2022 state assembly polls. In an open pitch to woo the Brahmin voters, he also claimed that if the neglected Brahmin community comes in the BSP fold, they will have the key to power in the state after the 2022 assembly polls, Once again alleging that the BJP led state government was "committing atrocities on Brahmins and Dalits in the state", Mishra claimed that the priests and purohits who attended the Prabudh Varg conclave in Ayodhya recently, were harassed by the state government. The BSP general secretary, when asked if his party would form an alliance with any outfit in the state, said that the only alliance BSP had was with the people of the state.

The Times of India

2021-07-29

Allahabad