Farmers Movement Archive

UP elections: Mayawati assures security, dignity to Brahmins if voted to power

Blowing the bugle for the 2022 UP assembly polls, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday said a high-level inquiry will be set up to probe the “wrong actions” taken by the BJP government against the Brahmin community if her party came to power in the state next year. “Strict action will be taken against the officers found guilty. The BSP government will ensure justice to the victims and economic losses suffered by the community will be also compensated for as well,” she said while addressing a Brahmin conference— Prabuddh Varg Vichar Goshti—organised in the party’s state unit office. This marked the culmination of the intellectuals’ conference launched by the BSP at Ayodhya on July 23. It was her first public appearance after the Covid pandemic started in March 2020.Amid blowing of conch shells by the members of the Brahmin community during which they raised a slogan “Brahmin shankh bajayega, haathi badhta jayega”, Mayawati said, “I promise that when BSP forms the government (in UP) in 2022, it will take care of the dignity, security and welfare of the Brahmin community in the similar manner as was done after the formation of the BSP government in 2007.”In a bid to woo farmers, the BSP chief also announced on coming to power her government would not only ensure that farmers get genuine price of their products, but it would also be ensured the Centre’s three farm laws were not implemented in UP. “The farmers’ protest has been continuing for a long time now and the BSP has extended its support to their movement. Some 500 farmers have died so far but the BJP government has remained unmoved,” she claimed. “The BSP government will also constitute a commission for the implementation of teachers’ demands. They will get honourable salary and service rules for the teachers working in unaided institutions will be drafted,” Mayawati announced. “The BSP government will also give aid to Sanskrit institutions that has been stopped by the BJP government. The vacant posts in the Sanskrit institutions will be filled on priority,” she said. “Instead of constructing memorials, parks and museum in the name of Dalit icons, the BSP government will focus on changing the image of Uttar Pradesh to make it a developed state. Under previous BSP governments, memorials, parks, museums in the name of the Dalit icons who worked for the society based on equality have been constructed at NOIDA and Lucknow. The BSP is working for the equality of and justice for all communities,” the BSP chief said.“The other communities who want that their icons should be given respect, the BSP government will fulfil their demands. The BSP will organise Muslim, backward and Kshatriya community conferences across the state,” she added.Terming the “Prabuddh Varg Vichar Goshti” a big success, Mayawati said, “The large turnout in the meetings in all 75 UP districts has caused panic in the camps of rival parties. They have also started organising Prabuddh Varg conference. But the Brahmins have made up their minds to bring the BSP to power in UP next year.”“I appeal to the people coming from various castes and communities that they should support the BSP for a better future of their children, dignity and security of their families,” she said.“In the second round, the Brahmin community supporters will organise meetings in the cities, towns and villages in each assembly constituency to extend the base of the party and to associate the Brahmin community with the BSP,” Mayawati said.“They will have to make minimum 1,000 active members in each assembly segment. These members will work in the reserved and general assembly segments. The party will organise cadre camps in each assembly segment. The BSP will organise women Brahmin conference in cities under Kalpana Mishra (BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra’s wife),” she added.“After coming to power in UP in 2007, the BSP government had lifted the ban on the recruitment of the upper caste people in government jobs. In police department, more than two lakh posts were filled. Safai Karamacharis were posted in each village. One lakh people were employed under a special drive to fill vacant posts in various government departments. There was no discrimination or exploitation on the basis of caste under the BSP government. The rule of law was implemented. The Brahmin community was given adequate representation in the government and the organisation,” she said.On Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement that the forefathers of Hindus and Muslims were same, Mayawati said he should explain then why “a step motherly treatment was being meted out to the Muslim community by the BJP government”.The Muslims should not forget the Muzaffarnagar riots (2013) under the SP government and the Hashimpura- Malyana incident (1987) under the Congress government, she said.

Hindustan Times

07-09-2021

Lucknow