Mayawati flays Congress a day after skipping Opposition meet

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 23

BSP supremo and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Mayawati, on Saturday, flayed the Congress for allegedly neglecting the poor in the past which compelled them to migrate from their native places for livelihoods.

The BSP head lambasted the Congress a day after skipping the video-conference meet of the Opposition parties, which was convened by Sonia Gandhi to discuss COVID-related issues, especially the hardships faced by workers due to the lockdown.

In a statement here, Mayawati also cautioned the BJP dispensations at the Centre and in the states “not to tread on Congress’ path”.

She batted for creating avenues of livelihoods and jobs for the poor and workers locally.

Wading into Congress, Mayawati said “only” the Congress was responsible for the present distress of a large number of workers and their families caused by the lockdown enforced by the outbreak of COVID-19.

“The Congress was in power for long at the Centre and in the states. Had the Congress dispensations made arrangements for jobs locally, people would not have been compelled to leave their homes and migrate afar for livelihoods,” Mayawati said.

Taking a jibe at the Congress leaders, she said their expression of remorse at the sufferings of the workers and display of videos of their solidarity with them was “sham” and an “act-play”.

“It would have been better had they revealed how much they helped the hapless workers materially.”

She asked the BJP governments not to follow the example of the Congress, but create avenues for jobs and livelihoods locally for workers, who have returned back to their home states.