After Rahul Gandhi, BSP chief Mayawati rakes up Ayodhya

SAHARANPUR: Two days after Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Hanumangarhi in Ayodhya brought the Ram temple issue to the foreground, BSP supremo Mayawati assured the Muslims at a mammoth rally here that she will protect their rights, along with that of Dalits and other weaker sections, if voted to power in the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

Though Mayawati touched on a host of issues in her over one hour speech here, the thrust of her address were the Dalits and Muslims. Her prime target was the BJP and the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, followed by the Samajwadi Party and its dispensation in UP. She tried to be dismissive about the Congress but also cautioned the voters not to be swayed by the Grand Old Party.

“A loud mouth Samajwadi Party leader has stated that Kanshi Ram used to say that if we (BSP) come to power with full majority a toilet will be built where the Babri masjid stood. This is completely false. If our party wanted to do any such thing, we would have done it when we had a clear majority government in 2007.

Kanshi Ram never said such a thing,” she said. The BSP leader also dismissed another charge made by the SP that Akbarpur in Faizabad would be renamed, saying the place still retains its name.

Sending overtures to the minority community, which has a sizable presence in western UP, Mayawati said they would not be swayed by SP and Congress.

“Congress government got the locks of the Babri mosque opened. Samajwadi Party incited riots in the name of Ayodhya. When Mulayam Singh Yadav was the chief minister there were riots on this issue. If Congress (Narasimha Rao government at the Centre) wanted (to prevent the demolition), it could have imposed President’s Rule,” Mayawati said. She underlined that during her chief minister when the Ayodhya verdict was to be announced by the high court, she did not let any riots happen.

She added that her party is committed to protecting the weaker sections. “Ever since the BJP-led government was formed at the Centre two years back, Muslims and other minorities have been given step-brotherly treatment.

The Sachar Committee report has been locked away. Communal and radical forces have become strong in the name of cow vigilantism, fighting love Jihad… and establishing a Hindu rashtra,” Mayawati said.