BJP rakes up scams, atrocities on dalits under Mayawati rule

BJP also questioned her commitment to the cause of the dalits, saying the community suffered maximum cases of atrocities under her rule

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday mocked Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati's assertion that she will crack down on criminals if voted to power in Uttar Pradesh, alleging she has several criminals among her party's ranks and several scams, including in National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) and Taj corridor, took place under her rule.

In a statement, the saffron party also questioned her commitment to the cause of the dalits, saying the community suffered maximum cases of atrocities when she was in power and claimed that such crimes have come down under the Modi government which has also launched a number of schemes for their welfare.

"Mayawati has no moral right to claim that she will send them behind bars when in power. The Rs 8500-crore NRHM scam during her tenure showcases the story of corruption under her. There were scams in police recruitment, sugar factory, Taj corridor... BSP is an alliance of criminals and the corrupt. It is ridiculous for Mayawati to say that she will put criminals behind bars," BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said in the statement.

Over 30,000 cases of atrocities against Dalits were registered between 2008 and May 2011 during her tenure and 30 per cent cases of Dalit killings in the country were reported in UP, he said.

He alleged that between 2004-14 under the United Progressive Alliance government, which received her support at many occasions, witnessed a whopping 245 per cent rise in such cases against 1994-2003.

Mayawati, he claimed, was overlooking the Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pro-Dalit works as it would result in the loss of market rate of the BSP tickets.

He also said BSP and ruling Samajwadi Party were hand in glove and that is why action was not taken against UP Minister Azam Khan, who had called the Bulandshahr rape incident a political conspiracy, and BSP leader Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who had allegedly made derogatory remarks against wife and daughter of an expelled BJP leader.

"BJP wants to assure the people of UP that criminals and the corrupt will be forced to leave their activity or the state if it comes to power as it will take strong action against them," he said.