Chandigarh, July 15
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today asked the Centre and the Punjab Governor, Justice O. P. Verma, to dismiss the Amarinder Singh government for “infringing upon the Constitutional rights” of the Dalits.

“The Amarinder Singh government has attempted to stop those coming to listen to me in the Maha Swabhiman rally here and express their anguish over repression unleashed against them by his government. I have brought the matter to the notice of Delhi and the Punjab Governor on telephone to demand dismissal of the Punjab Chief Minister,” Ms Mayawati announced at an impressive, emotionally-charged rally amidst cheers from the crowd. The rally is regarded as one of the biggest held in the Parade Ground in recent years. This is also the first time the Chief Minister of another state has visited Chandigarh to address a public rally on an emotive issue.

The UP Chief Minister said she had urged the Governor to send a report on the issue to the Central Government. Ms Mayawati’s demand for the dismissal of Capt Amarinder Singh and support to the beleaguered former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today at the rally on cases against him follows Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani’s criticism of the action against “political rivals.”

Ms Mayawati criticised the Amarinder Singh government for opening fire on Dalits in the Talhan village of Jalandhar district where they were demanding participatory rights in the management of a gurdwara. The BSP leader alleged that the Congress had instigated caste violence as part of its old conspiracy to garner votes.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the mother of the deceased in the Talhan violence and Rs 1 lakh each to the 18 injured.