Mayawati slams Rahul over his remarks on ‘scrapping reservation’

BSP supremo Mayawati lashed out at the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleging that he was adopting double standards on the reservation system for the Dalits and backward classes.

Addressing a rally organised by the INLD-BSP alliance to mark the 111 birth anniversary of former Deputy Prime Minister Chaudhary Devi Lal at Uchana Kalan in Jind today, Mayawati projected Abhay Singh Chautala as the CM candidate and two deputy CMs, including one from the BSP, and other from backward or upper caste community.

The BSP supremo went whole hog against Rahul, who in the US, said the Congress would think of scrapping reservations when “India is a fair place”, which he said was not the case right now.

When he’s in India and campaigns during elections, he changes his stand like a chameleon and claims that he’s in favour of the reservation system, said the BSP supremo.

“This is a double-standard policy of the Congress. The Dalits need to teach the Congress a lesson. Constitutional rights were given by Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar and not by the Congress,” she said.

“To protect the Constitution, you should neither vote for the Congress nor for the BJP. Both parties have not cleared their views on the Supreme Court’s August 1 judgment, which had mentioned ending creamy layer in the SC and put in a provision of sub-classification of quota system,” she said.

The BSP leader said the SC judgment had left it for the state governments to implement sub-classification and those in power could use it for vested interests.

Earlier, this provision was vested with Parliament said Mayawati, adding that the voters should ensure formation of the BSP-INLD government so that the Centre could amend the Constitution.

She said Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims and other communities were left behind in terms of development. Terming the Congress and the BJP as “Jatiwadi” parties, she said the Dalits and backward classes had not got full benefits of the reservation to date.

“The BJP and other parties are not filling vacancies in the states ruled by them as they want to convert them into general category,” she alleged.

“The atrocities on the Dalits and Muslims are increasing throughout the country and Jats are also not getting justice. The farmers are facing harassment and are protesting against anti-farmer policies of the BJP,” added Mayawati.

The INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala and his son Abhay Singh Chautala also attended the meeting.