The Hindu : Not a vindictive act, says Mayawati

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 18, 2003

Other States

Other States - Uttar Pradesh

Not a vindictive act, says Mayawati

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI APRIL 17. Responding to the sharp criticism over the slew of cases filed by her Government against the Samajwadi Party chief, Mulayam Singh Yadav, and his colleagues, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati, today justified the move and denied that it was "political vendetta".

Countering the "malicious campaign" attributing political motives to her move, she also emphasised that she was against the anti-conversion law, a subject dear to the Bharatiya Janata Party. She alleged that Mr. Yadav had "flouted" rules while sanctioning money from the Chief Minister's discretionary fund. The then Governor, Motilal Vora, too had granted Rs.18 crores out of the fund he was not entitled to dip into. Her Government had instituted an inquiry into such cases.

"If I was of a vindictive nature, I should have put Mulayam Singh Yadav behind bars for the brutal attack against me on June 2, 1995, since I became the Chief Minister a day later," she told a press conference here.

During his tenure, Mr. Yadav had violated the rules for the grants from discretionary funds by giving money over and above the limit of Rs. 35,000. The ceiling was raised after the rules were amended later. "Whether it is Mr. Yadav or Mr. Vora, we will act in accordance with the law and Constitution."

Ms. Mayawati was clearly irked by the BJP general secretary, Rajnath Singh's comments that the cases against a former Chief Minister (Mr. Yadav) were unfortunate.

"Where were Rajnath Singh and all those who criticise me now when the Kalyan Singh Government slapped a case against me for buying float pumps? Is it because I am the daughter of a Dalit that he chose not to react? Does it not show up Manuvad? she wondered and said Mr. Singh's remarks were his personal views.

While singling out Mr. Singh, Ms. Mayawati parried questions when asked to comment on the comments of another BJP general secretary, Pramod Mahajan. She had not seen or read what Mr. Mahajan had said.

Rejecting the SP's demand for a CBI inquiry into the release of the CD issue, which she claimed were "fake and doctored", the Chief Minister said her Government was competent to probe its veracity. She also dismissed Mr. Yadav's apprehension that he would be booked under POTA.

Ms. Mayawati — who had said at a recent rally that she and her followers would convert to Buddhism — maintained today that in her opinion there was no need to politicise the issue since the Constitution permitted Indian citizens to practise any religion of their choice.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Other States

Stories in this Section

Not a vindictive act, says Mayawati

HC stays arrest of Amar Singh