Maya to BJP: Change mindset or we’ll embrace Buddhism
AZAMGARH: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Tuesday said the BJP should change its mindset towards Dalits, tribals and backward classes or else she would be forced to embrace Buddhism with millions of her supporters.
Addressing a rally in Azamgarh, the stronghold of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati said oppression of Dalits had increased manifold under the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in Uttar Pradesh.
“If the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) do not stop oppressing the poor, Dalits and OBCs, I will quit Hindu dharma to embrace Buddhism with millions of my supporters,” she said.
“I am giving a chance to the RSS, BJP, the Shankaracharyas and religious leaders to give up their narrow thinking and casteist approach towards Dalits and OBCs,” Mayawati said.
“Babasahab (Dr BR Ambedkar) was not against Hinduism. He was against ill practices in Hinduism. He embraced Buddhism due to the ill practices followed in Hinduism,” she added.
Cautioning the BSP workers against BJP, she said it (BJP) would contest next general elections on the issue of Hinduism.
“They will rake up the Ram temple issue. Beware of such ploys,” Mayawati said, adding even if a temple was built in Ayodhya it would not benefit the poor, OBCs and Dalits. Attacking chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Mayawati said he did not have time for east UP as he spent most of his time in ‘puja paath’ (prayers) and visits to temples.
“He performs puja in Ayodhya, Mathura and Chitrakoot. Then he goes to Gorakhpur and offers prayers. Not satisfied with this, he goes to other states to visit temples,” she said.
“Prayers will not help the BJP in the next Lok Sabha election. The BJP government at the Centre has failed in delivering onefourth of the promises it made before the 2014 Lok Sabha election,” Mayawati added.
“Yogi has failed to maintain law and order. It is worse than what it was during the previous government tenure,” she said.
Mayawati credited the BSP for getting Bharat Ratna conferred on Dr Ambedkar and getting Mandal commission report implemented, which helped the OBCs get reservation.
“Join hands and defeat the BJP in the general elections. Before that, defeat BJP candidates in local body elections. This will be a befitting reply to the BJP which didn’t let me speak in Rajya Sabha over violence and caste clashes in Shabbirpur village of Saharanpur,” Mayawati said.