Mayawati calls for unity, bashes Yogi govt for Saharanpur clashes

BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday held the ruling BJP responsible for caste violence in the state. She advised the Yogi Adityanath government not to destroy brotherhood, which she claimed she had fostered during her four terms as the chief minister.

Mayawati was addressing a gathering of villagers and party supporters here after meeting the victims of caste violence.

The BSP chief demanded to withdraw cases filed against both the Dalits and the Thakurs.

Dalit victims of the clashes have said upper caste Thakurs prevented them from installing a statue of BR Ambedkar on the premises of a Ravidas temple in the village.

Later, on May 5, a Dalit group objected to a procession of Thakurs to mark the birth anniversary of Rajput king Maharana Pratap, triggering violence, in which one person was killed and over 15 were injured. Thakurs of the village allegedly burnt Dalit hutments after the death of a Thakur youth during the clashes.

Mayawati urged both Dalits and upper castes in the village not to fall into the trap of those who wanted to benefit from their clashes. “I appeal to all of you to live in peace as you have to live in the same village,” she said.

The former chief minister announced compensation of ₹50,000 each to the families whose houses were burnt and ₹25,000 for each injured. The compensation will be given from the party fund.

Mayawati also held the district magistrate and the senior superintendent of police (SSP) responsible for clashes and said: “I know they work on the directions of the CM, but being responsible officers they must give right feedback to the CM and work for maintaining brotherhood.” Islamabad Pakistan has asked the International Court of Justice to hold an early hearing in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, according to a report in the Pakistani media on Tuesday.

The move is in line with a statement made earlier by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s advisor on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, who told media persons that Pakistan was keen that the hearing of the case starts at its earliest.

The Express Tribune reported that the foreign office had sent a letter to the Hague-based ICJ’s registrar, expressing Pakistan’s desire for a quick hearing, preferably over the next few weeks.

The request was made in view of the elections for ICJ judges in November, it quoted the sources as saying. A senior official, however, was quoted as saying that the ICJ might resume the hearing in the case in October.

“The government (however) wants the hearing (to be held in the) next six weeks,” he said.

Pakistan’s attorney general Ashtar Ausaf Ali is expected to attend the ICJ proceedings. The federal government, however, has not taken any decision about replacing Pakistan’s attorney Khawar Quraishi.

“His performance is satisfactory...He raised all (relevant) legal points during the hearing,” a senior official of the law ministry was quoted as saying.

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