Mayawati slams UP govt over setting up of Ambedkar Memorial; calls it 'gross deception'

Shortly after President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for Ambedkar Memorial in Lucknow, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati slammed CM Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government. Mayawati said that laying the foundation stone for the Cultural Centre in the name of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar is the Uttar Pradesh government's "gross deception" ahead of the state Assembly polls due in 2022. 

While laying the foundation stone for Ambedkar Memorial, the President had also paid floral tributes to Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar. 

Mayawati: 'If this is not drama then what is it?'

Taking to Twitter, the former UP Chief Minister said that the state government neglected Dr Ambedkar and harassed his followers during its tenure. She said that as the Uttar Pradesh elections are nearing, the state government is laying the foundation stone of a Cultural Centre in the name of Babasaheb. "If this is not drama then what is it," she asked. 

Clarifying that Bahujan Samaj Party is not against setting up of Ambedkar memorial or any other Cultural Centre in the name of Bhimrao Ambedkar, Mayawati said that doing all this for the sake of electoral interest is deception. She said that if the Uttar Pradesh government had done this earlier then it would have been better. "It would have been better if the President would have inaugurated the memorial today and not laid the foundation stone," the BSP chief added. 

In another tweet, Mayawati said that in case of such deceit, drama and killing the rights of the Dalits and other backward classes, Bharatiya Janata Party, Samajwadi Party and Congress are all same. She said, "As a result of this, lakhs of government posts reserved for Dalits and backwards are still lying vacant and in the name of their saints, gurus and great men, the world-class grand places and parks etc. built by the BSP government in UP have been grossly neglected since the last SP regime. This is going on continuously which is highly condemnable."

Swami Prasad Maurya slams Mayawati, says 'she should be happy'

Reacting to the statements by BSP chief, Uttar Pradesh Minister and BJP leader Swami Prasad Maurya on Tuesday took a dig at Mayawati and said that she would be happy as the foundation stone of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial and Cultural Centre has been laid in Lucknow. 

Swami Prasad Maurya said, "Mayawati should be happy being the national president of BSP which was founded on the principles of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar as Ambedkar memorial is being set up."

Commenting on Mayawati's remark, Deputy Chief Minister KP Maurya said, "It is not right for her to oppose something that should be welcomed." "She must stop wearing political glasses. BSP gave respect to Baba Saheb and others. We don't criticise it, BJP too respects them especially Babasaheb who fought for neglected and Dalits," he said.

(Image: PTI)