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Wednesday, April 9, 2003, Chandigarh, India

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SP releases another CD on Mayawati
Our Correspondent

Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan (R) hands over a CD to Uttar Pradesh Governor Vishnukant Shastri (L) at Governor house in Lucknow 08 April 2003. — AFP photo

Lucknow, April 8
In an attempt to embarrass the BJP, the major ally of the BSP in the state government, the Samajwadi Party (SP) today released a CD showing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati asking her party leaders not to get swayed by “Manuvadis” and not to worship gods.

“Comments of Ms Mayawati against Hindus were sacrilegious. The Chief Minister is trying to create a civil war “like situation by inciting religious hatred against Hindus,” said senior SP leader Mohammed Azam Khan.

He demanded that the Central government should immediately dismiss Ms Mayawati-led government and arrest her under POTA for inciting religious passion.

He met Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri and demanded that an action be taken against Ms Mayawati.

The CD released today is second of the series. Earlier on March 3, the SP released a CD showing Ms Mayawati asking her legislators and members of Parliament to donate part of their respective Area Development Funds to the party’s kitty.

A legislator gets Rs 75 lakh and an MP Rs 2 crore annually for the development of their constituencies.

Ms Mayawati reacted by saying that the CD was doctored and announced a rally on April 14 to expose, what she called, the nefarious designs of the SP.

Mr Khan did not divulge the date and venue of the reported speech of Ms Mayawati and whom she was addressing. “It is recent and undoctored”, he said.

In over 20-minute CD, the camera was only focused on Ms Mayawati. Draped in a white shawl, Ms Mayawati was shown sitting on a flower-decked dias addressing people. A commando is also seen in the cassette.

Though the audio failed at times, Ms Mayawati was shown telling people that upper caste people were misleading lower-caste people in the name of religion. “You keep fast on religious occasions ... take bath on auspicious days and have been told by Brahmins that there are over 25,000 gods. Have you seen them? No one has seen them. Brahmins only mislead you,” she was seen telling people.

Ms Mayawati, a Dalit, said: “upper-caste people treat you (lower-caste people) as dogs”.

“The release of the CD showing Ms Mayawati pouring vitriol against Hinduism could be an attempt to breach the social base and create rift between the two allies, which are not natural in their temperament,” said Prof S.P. Pandey, a social scientist of Govind Ballabh Institute of Social Studies.

Senior BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya told reporters that the CD released today was doctored. “It is electronic mimickry”, he said. Mr Ved Prakash Sachchan, convener of the Bajrang Dal, said action should be taken against the Mayawati if really she had spoken such sacrilegious words against Hindus and their gods.

“The BJP should withdraw support from the government,” he said.

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today rubbished the video CD brought out by the Samajwadi Party against her, maintaining that she had all along been asking the BSP cadre to avoid religious superstitions and misinterpretation to check against exploitation.

In a press statement here she said that contrary to the SP allegation that she had made objectionable comments against the Hindu religion, she had openly expressed her sentiments on religion at various public fora and before the media.

“I respect all religions, but the rigidity and superstition being associated with religion are incorrect,” she said. According to Ms Mayawati, several backwards are suffering due to such practices and it was essential to teach them how to fight injustice. UNI