Demonetisation will not hit BSP: Maya
LUCKNOW: The people’s ire over demonetisation will make short work of the BJP in the upcoming Uttar Pradesh polls, BSP president Mayawati said on Tuesday.
The BSP’s poll campaign will not be affected by the move, the firebrand Dalit leader claimed, rubbishing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark to this effect. “The large turnout at our rallies contradicts Modi’s statement that we will feel the heat. The BSP runs its campaign with donations from party MPs, MLAs and workers,” she added.
Mayawati said this on the premises of the Ambedkar memorial at an event held to mark the social reformer’s 60th death anniversary.
The former CM called upon voters to not be fooled by the BJP’s “hollow promises” and “political gimmicks”, and teach the saffron party a lesson for forcing people to stand in queue outside banks and ATMs.
Terming demonetisation as an autocratic decision that would “turn the common people into paupers and enrich the capitalists”, Mayawati said it was a far cry from Modi’s electoral promises of retrieving black money from foreign banks and providing employment, cheap housing and free electricity to the people. She also accused the BJP of giving capitalists and its own leaders time to park their black money safely before making the demonetisation announcement.
The Dalit leader cautioned members of the Dalit, OBC and Muslim communities against supporting Modi, because the “BJP will implement the age-old varna system and subject Dalits to untold misery”.
Mayawati also targeted the Akhilesh Yadav government – stating that goondas and mafia dons were ruling the roost under its patronage. “There is widespread corruption, development work has come to a grinding halt, and a huge amount of money is being spent on advertisements,” she said.
The Congress was accused of “enslaving” Dalits and Muslims. “That party ruled India for the longest period after Independence, but did nothing to uplift downtrodden communities,” she said.