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Monday, Apr 30, 2007
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Mayawati promises rule of law

Says on assuming power she will order a probe into Mulayam's "bunglings and punish all guilty"

Photos: PTI

CAMPAIGN HEATS UP: Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati at an election rally in Allahabad on Sunday.

Allahabad: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday said her top priority was dislodging the "corrupt" Mulayam Singh-led government and establish the rule of law in Uttar Pradesh.

"The BSP is fighting all the 403 Assembly seats alone because of its unmatched commitment to dislodge the mafia raj of Mulayam Singh and his trusted lieutenant Amar Singh," she said at an election meeting here.

Accusing Mr. Mulayam Singh and Mr. Amar Singh of having siphoned off huge amounts of public money, she asserted that on assuming power, she would order an inquiry into their "bunglings and severely punish all the guilty".

Ms. Mayawati, who had got Samajwadi Party strongmen Raja Bhaiya and Atiq Ahmed booked under POTA during her regime, said she was determined to send the "anti-social elements" back to jail.

She exhorted the people to vote for the BSP in large numbers and enable her to form "a government that would establish the rule of law, weed out corruption and ensure equitable development of all sections of society, besides striving for industrial and agricultural development of U.P." She said: "All people, irrespective of caste and religion, will be given their due if they repose their trust in the BSP's ideology."

On reservation

Holding that she was not averse to the idea of the poor among the communities being given the benefit of reservation, she said, "I wish to remind my Muslim brethren that even when I shared power with the BJP due to political compulsions, I did not allow them to dominate and I fought to protect your interests."

Ms. Mayawati cautioned the people against "wasting" their vote on the Congress, BJP and RLD as all of them have in one way or the other, "facilitated the survival" of the SP Government.

Rahul flays police action

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Sunday lashed out at the Deoria administration and police for an alleged baton charge on a Youth Congress rally on Saturday.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh arrives for a poll rally in Pratappur, near Allahabad.

Resuming his road show, Mr. Gandhi made an unscheduled visit here after hearing of the arrest of some Youth Congress leaders and workers following the Saturday incident. He met them at the Kotwali police station.

Terming the police action unprovoked, Mr. Gandhi said the Congress would file a complaint with the Election Commission and other authorities concerned. "It is a sample of `goonda raj.' We are going to complain to the Election Commission and all relevant authorities. This is not acceptable," he told reporters.

"Our people are campaigning with a completely legitimate order. And they have been beaten up. People's legs have been broken. They have been thrashed."

"FIR not registered"

Mr. Gandhi said the action was aimed at preventing the Congress from coming back to power. "But we are not going to stop." He alleged that the injured workers were not provided medical aid and the police did not register an FIR.

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi talks to journalists after visiting Youth Congress leaders at a police station in Deoria. The leaders were allegedly beaten up by police on Saturday night.

Thousands of Congress workers assembled near the police station when Mr. Gandhi arrived there. A detained Congress leader claimed they had permission but the police detained and beat up workers when the rally reached the town.

"Code flouted"

Kotwali SHO Chand Mohammad said the rally flouted the model code of conduct and Congress workers roughed up policemen. — PTI

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