Mainpuri (UP), May 2 (PTI) Taking a dig at her political opponents over law and order in Uttar Pradesh, BSP supremo Mayawati Thursday claimed she did not require a bulldozer like the present BJP government to maintain rule of law in the state when she was in power.
“When the BSP was in power in Uttar Pradesh, we did not allow Hindu-Muslim riots to take place. Respect was given to all religious groups, their lives, properties and religious beliefs.
“Have you heard of riots taking place during my governments in Uttar Pradesh. Whichever party was in power here, be it the Samajwadi Party, the Congress or the present BJP, riots have taken place,” the BSP president said, addressing an election rally at the Christian College ground here.
Mayawati also said the BSP might spring a surprise to those who are alleging that the party has fielded candidates only to help others win or lose in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking on the law and order issue, she said, “Earlier during the festival time, be it of Hindus or Muslims, incidents used to take place, but not during my government.” Mayawati also recalled how there was absolute peace in UP when the Ayodhya verdict was delivered by the high court during her government.
“Schools, colleges and offices were closed throughout the country barring UP and not even a small incident took place. We ensured the safety and security of the people belonging to all religions and castes as well as the safety of the lives and properties of all,” she said.
The Allahabad High Court verdict was pronounced on September 30, 2010 when Mayawati was the chief minister of the state.
“Whenever there were festivals, some incident used to take place but you have seen the law and order during my tenure. There was rule of law for which we did not require bulldozers like the present BJP government. We had established the rule of law through legal means,” she added.
Referring to the three candidates of her party in Mainpuri, Etah and Firozabad, she said they have been fielded “not to help anyone win or lose but to win themselves with record votes”.
“The opponents are saying during their campaign here in Mainpuri that the BSP (candidate) will make others win or lose but will not win themselves. But the exact opposite might happen. Those who are saying this might themselves get the second or third spot,” she asserted.
The BSP president also reiterated that during the past few years, there have been exploitation and oppression in the garb of Hindutva because of feeling of hatred, specially with Muslims, which will be stopped when the BSP comes to power as she had done during her government in UP by paying attention to all sections of the society.
If voted to power at the Centre, the BSP will do solid work like it did in UP during its government. Parties like the Congress and the BJP and its supporting parties have to be stopped from coming to power, she said.
“The wrong policies of these parties and their working styles have been tried by you. There is a vast difference between what they say and what they do.
“They are using every tactic to come back to power. The people have to remain alert,” she said, adding that these parties should not be voted back to power in their own interest and in the interest of the state and the country.
Mayawati sought the support for her party candidates — Shiv Prasad Yadav from Mainpuri, Mohd Irfan from Etah and Chaudhary Bashir from Firozabad.
Polling in Mainpuri, Etah and Firozabad is slated on May 7 in the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. PTI SAB KSS KSS
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