Lucknow: LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan today attacked ruling Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh for considering “Dalits as its rivals and doing nothing for Muslims”, as he addressed party workers here as part of his attempt to increase party's Lok Sabha tally from “six to 60”.
The LJP chief attacked both the SP and BSP. Seeking to woo the Dalit vote bank in UP, Paswan alleged that BSP chief Mayawati did nothing for the community.
“Mayawati had once given the slogan of ‘tilak-taraju aur talwar inko maro.... “At the time of polls she changed it to ‘haathi nahi Ganesh hai, Brahma Vishnu Mahesh hai'. The result was that neither the Dalits nor Brahmins are with her anymore,” Paswan said while addressing a meeting of his party workers here.
Paswan, who is Union minister for Food and Civil Supplies, also attacked SP for “opposing reservation in promotions”, saying he (Yadav) considered Dalits as his rivals.
“All the parties except the SP had supported reservation in promotions in the Lok Sabha. Mulayam had opposed the Dalits in order to please upper castes,” Paswan claimed.
Paswan who is aiming to increase his party tally in Lok Sabha from the present “six to 60” by the next polls, questioned the Akhilesh Yadav government about the reservation his government had promised to Muslims during the polls.
“How much quota has been granted by him to Muslims in the two-and-a-half year of government,” Paswan asked.
“They had been demanding 18 per cent reservation for Muslims from the Centre how much have they given in Uttar Pradesh,” he asked.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Paswan said Modi has said that it is his duty to provide security to minorities, Dalits, Muslims, Upper castes and women. “It is the result of the PM's efforts that even Hurriyat faction is also ready for talks,” he said.
He lauded the Prime Minister for his ‘Make in India' campaign; inviting heads of states of neighbouring countries and visits to foreign countries.
“On the occasion of Teachers day on September 5, Modi established a direct contact with students and on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2, he launched Swachh Bharat campaign.
“Now, no one can say that the one who is holding a broom in his hand is from Balmiki Samaj... today everyone has a broom in his hand,” Paswan said.
Paswan said that through his ministry, wheat was being provided at Rs two per kg and rice at Rs three per kg rice to all the states, and asked,”why it is not available in Uttar Pradesh.”
Speaking on the occasion, his son Chirag Paswan said that LJP will focus on Uttar Pradesh.
Referring to memorials and buildings in the state capital, Chirag said, “Had these funds been spent on education, poor and deprived it would have been better.” He also criticised “bad state” of health facilities and law and order situation in UP.
“We had thought that Akhilesh Yadav is a young chief minister, he would do something but he did nothing ...SP chief says that boys do make some mistakes...do these statements not encourage anti-social elements,” he asked.
The workers meet was also addressed by LJP's UP President Triveni Prasad Pal and general secretary Chitra Singh.
