As the Congress launched its state-wide yatras on BR Ambedkar?s birth anniversary on Wednesday, UP chief minister Mayawati accused the party of ignoring Ambedkar and not giving him due respect. ?That is why our government decided to build parks and memorials dedicated to Ambedkar and other great men who were born in Dalit and backward communities?, Mayawati said.
The chief minister was addressing BSP workers after offering flowers at Ambedkar?s statue at the Bhim Rao Ambedkar Samajik Parivartan Sthal in the state capital.
Mayawati chose not to visit Ambedkarnagar where the BSP had organised a parallel rally to the Congress programme as part of its state-wide protests against the Women?s Reservation Bill. She made no mention of the Congress yatras, or Rahul Gandhi Instead, she focused her attack on the alleged casteism of the Congress and other parties. ?The Congress, BJP and other opposition parties have ruled at the Centre for the last 63 years after independence. Of these 63 years, the Congress ruled for about 50 years at the Centre and 38 years in the state. Presently, there is a Congress government at the Centre. All these opposition parties ignored Ambedkar and the saints who were born in Dalit households because of their casteist mentality. In particular, the role of the Congress was despicable?, Mayawati told the gathering.
Meanwhile in Ambedkarnagar, attacking the Mayawati-led government for ?misuse? of Central funds, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday pitched for a change in UP politics by involving the youth and focusing on job creation and poverty alleviation.
Flagging off the ?Chetna? (awareness) Yatra here to mark 125 years of the party?s establishment, Gandhi said the Congress will change the face of UP by creating jobs for the youth of the state, while the BSP government has been ?neglecting? development.
?Money for development projects reaches Lucknow but Ambedkar Nagar and other districts of the state (are not developed)… Money has been given to the UP government for schemes like MGNREGA, RTE and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan, but no one knows what happens to this money,? he said.
The Congress general secretary said the politics of religion and caste has failed in UP and there was a need to usher in a new way of politics targeted at the youth. ?In the times to come, UP has to answer how to tackle unemployment and poverty in the state. Politics in the state will now revolve around this question,? he said.