Mayawati's charge that BJP is anti-Dalit reflects her nervousness, says Shastri

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday said that Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati's charge that the former is pursuing and championing anti-Dalit policies, reflected her nervousness ahead of next year's state polls in Uttar Pradesh.

BJP leader Bizay Sonkar Shastri said, "Mayawati is nervous, she is worried, as in the 2014 election in Uttar Pradesh, mostly all 17 seats were won by the Bharatiya Janata Party. That is why her nervousness is natural. She cannot say that the BJP and the Prime Minister, who is working on 'Vikaas ki Yojna' is not doing anything for Dalits."

"The corruption and destruction of Uttar Pradesh has happened under the BSP and SP leadership. The people of UP want to free themselves from the clutches of the BSP and the SP," he added.

Flagging off the first phase of the BSP poll campaign in the state from Agra on Sunday, Mayawati said Dalits are being persecuted in all BJP-ruled states.

"In every state, especially in BJP-ruled states, Dalits and backward castes are being discriminated and persecuted. The death of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, the Una Dalit incident and the Dayashankar scandal in Uttar Pradesh are some examples," she said.

Criticising Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat for allegedly asking Hindus to produce more children, she said, "At a time when inflation is rising, and Hindu children are dying of starvation, he is asking the Hindu community to produce more children. I think he should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi whether he has the capacity to provide food and shelter for them."

She also claimed that Muslims were being harassed by 'gau rakshaks', 'love jihad' and Hindu nationalists under the watch of the BJP-led government at the Centre.