Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Sunday blamed the “faulty policies” of the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party and their allies for the socio-economic conditions of people belonging to the “bahujan samaj”.
She was addressing a convention of party workers of the southern States here.
Ms. Mayawati accused the two national parties of adopting a “divide-and-rule” policy to split the Dalits and the backward classes.
“Inflation, poverty, unemployment are at an all-time high owing to the pro-corporate policies of the United Progressive Alliance government,” she alleged.
Accusing the Congress, BJP, and the regional parties of ignoring people from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes and religious minorities, Ms. Mayawati asked party workers to unite under the BSP banner.
Impoverished
Only the BJP and the Congress or their allies had formed governments in most States. “That is why even 65 years after attaining Independence, the living conditions of the poor and Dalits have not changed much. Dalits are impoverished and unemployed even today and this can be observed in other States and regions across the country.” Dalits and backward classes should unite across the country to form an alternative political force to challenge national parties electorally, the BSP leader said. Ms. Mayawati attacked the UPA government for “failing to rein in price rise” that hit the poor and the common people the most.
“That is why the poor have got poorer and the rich have got richer.” She hit out at the Centre for the hike in diesel prices and cap on subsidised LPG cylinders for domestic use. She accused the UPA Government of failing to contain the problems of people belonging to the lower castes and minority communities.