Highlights: What Mayawati said about Mulayam, Akhilesh

Lucknow: On the sixth death anniversary of her mentor Kanshi Ram, Mayawati is addressing thousands of her supporters at a rally at the Ambedkar Park in Lucknow. She began her speech with a scathing attack on the state government headed by the Samajwadi Party (SP).

Here are the highlights of her address:

We have gathered here in lakhs to pay our tribute to Kanshi Ram – I thank you all for coming.

• I strongly condemn the Congress government at the Centre for not declaring a day of mourning in the country when Kanshi Ram died.
• October 9 was declared as a state government holiday by us but that was rescinded by the SP govt three days ago.
• SP’s Lohia Park was not tampered by the BSP government; we did not build a hospital on the land around the park or tamper with the statues there.
• You must never forgive the other parties for the treatment meted out to Mr Kanshi Ram. We must expose their casteist mentality.
• He (Kanshi Ram) gave me the entire responsibility of the movement to me – the sole inheritor of his political legacy.
• I have been trying to take the movement forward in his name.
• People are not being able to digest the recognition given to him – the districts and educational institutions named after him SP has renamed many institutions named after Kanshi Ram and other Dalit leaders.
• The state government has not only broken my statue but also a dozen statues of Dr BR Ambedkar.
• The bill  to get reservations for backward classes  is still pending in Parliament.
• The SP’s role has been particularly heinous in this regard.
• I have put down my view in this book, which will be given to you.
• Due to this mentality, other than Yadavs, all other sections of backward classes are feeling ostracised  and they are being targeted.
• We had kept the interests of the OBC community in UP at the forefront  and that included Yadavs.
• We also do not see them particularly  interested in promoting the interests of the Muslims in UP.
• The BSP has also recommended that people of upper castes be given reservations based on economic criteria – we have written to the Centre repeatedly.
• The law and order situation in the state has also deteriorated after the SP came to power.
• People of this state will regret voting this government I had said – and this has come true.
• We don’t have rule of law in this state – it is being ruled by the goons and mafia of the Samjwadi Party.
• Those whom we had put behind bars were set free by this government.
• If it weren’t for Dr Ambedkar you would have seen Mulayam Singh and family members handling the buffaloes of upper caste persons.
• Everyone knows that during our government’s time our policies were based on inclusiveness to allow entire society to benefit from it.
• Samajwadi workers and ministers are extorting money for party funds from officers.
• SP is forced to go back on their own decisions in 24 hours and most development projects are on paper only
• The present CM is a bigger “announcement CM”  than his father.
• They are inaugurating projects which were initiated by my government – like the Noida-Agra Expressway.
• Their election promise of giving people tablets, personal computers to students will only benefit children of SP workers and then they will be found on the black market.
• The SP government is promoting corruption. A senior minister says – don’t loot your department – and by that he means, leave that for us. He wants officers to work hard and then make a little money on the side.
• I must tell the government – if they find my ministers or officers during my regime involved in corruption, act against them. My party will not oppose. But that should not be political.
• The SP has stopped many of our welfare schemes to take political revenge against us.
• Common people can’t get anything done by government officials without paying a bribe.
• Samajwadi is constantly making allegations about corruption against me but they should examine their own record.
• SP government is giving away sarees to poor women, but sarees cannot solve a poor woman’s problems. What will she do with it if she has no food?
• We must also concentrate on the assembly elections that will be held in the next few months in other states so that our party can deliver good results.
• If any of my relatives tries for tickets from our party or any other party, then I will break off all relations with them.
• I had planned to come to the rally by helicopter and not by road, but the Akhilesh government didn’t give me permission.
• They have tried to thwart this Maharally  – I promise you when we come back to power, I will have this investigated and officers responsible will be punished.
• Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son will not be able to save them.
• Your cars have been stopped miles away, trains stopped in the middle – but inspite of such difficulties  9-10 lakh people have come here to listen to me ; I thank you for that.
• I must tell my brothers from Maharashtra who have come here in large numbers – the state has been the karmabhoomi of BR Ambedkar. You have great respect for him, but when it comes to elections that doesn’t reflect in your ballots.
• I must appeal to government officers that while they cannot be involved in politics, they can raise awareness.
• If we have a  government at the Centre, officers from SC/ ST and Backward classes will  be taken care of -reservation quotas in jobs and promotions will be taken care of.