Lucknow: BSP supremo Mayawati on Thursday said that Rahul Gandhi's participation in 'Dalit Conclave' seems to be an attempt to fool the people.
"After engaging in all anti-Dalit works, organising 'Dalit Conclave' seems like an attempt to befool the people," Mayawati said in a statement here. She said that Kanshiram was forced to form BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) in 1984 when Congress secured Dalits votes by just showing them dreams for long after Independence.
Mayawati said that Rahul's so called Dalit Conclave was similar to 'kisan sammelans' organised by the Narendra Modi government after indulging in anti-farmer activities. She alleged that the attitude of Congress and BJP was entirely against the welfare of the poor, Dalit, Muslims and other religious minorities. The BSP supremo was also critical of male forest guards allegedly taking height and chest measurements of women candidates in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh district for selecting 'Vanpals', saying it was "highly objectionable and amounts to harassment of women".
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The incident took place in a state which is led by a woman chief minister, Mayawati said. She also criticised BJP MP Gopal Shetty's statement on farmer suicides in Maharashtra in which he termed it as a "fashion".
"Not all farmers' suicides happen due to unemployment and starvation. A fashion is going on. A trend is on," Shetty, MP from north Mumbai, said on the sidelines of an event held in Borivili yesterday.
On law and order in Uttar Pradesh, she said that it is a known fact that heinous crimes are taking place near the Chief Minister's residence and DGP office. It is a very serious issue and indicates "jungleraj" in the state, she said, adding that the SP government has failed miserably in controlling crime and maintaining law and order. After attending the conclave today, Gandhi will visit his parliamentary constituency Amethi. Uttar Pradesh is slated to have assembly elections next year.
