RSS-BJP don't want the poor to progress, claims Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati Friday said the RSS and the BJP did not want the poor of the country to progress.

She was speaking at a poll rally in Nagpur, the headquarters of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, for BSP-Samajwadi Party alliance candidates Mohammad Jamal (from Nagpur Lok Sabha seat) and Subhash Gajbhiye (from Ramtek).

She also said her alliance with the SP and the Rashtriya Lok Dal in Uttar Pradesh will lead to "stunning" results in the 80 Lok Sabha seats there.

She said Muslims and other religious minorities in the country were somewhat safe because of the rights given to them by the Constitution framed by Dr BR Ambedkar.

"The BJP government makes it policies on instructions from the RSS which controls it from Nagpur. These people do not want the poor to progress. They want to implement old systems and continue to keep the poor in a helpless condition," she claimed.

"Hence, I want you to remember the struggles of Dr Ambedkar and take the keys of power in your own hands in order to progress," she exhorted the crowd.

She said the rate of development under the BJP government in the Centre and in several states ruled by it had gone down while violence and persecution had increased.

"The wrong policies of the Centre have increased unemployment and prices of commodities. Note ban and GST have hit the poor, the salaried class and small traders. The 10 per cent quota for poor segments of the general category is also not going to help much," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister claimed.

She said the Congress' promise to give Rs 72,000 annually to poor families under its anti-poverty scheme Nyunatam Aay Yojana (Nyay) won't offer permanent relief to people.

"We will give jobs in government and private sector firms to people if we form the government. Only employment can address the problems of the people," she said.

Speaking on her party's prospects in Uttar Pradesh, she said the BSP-SP-RLD alliance would provide "chaukane wale" (stunning) results in the northern state's 80 Lok Sabha seats.

"The next Prime Minister will be decided by how our alliance fares," she claimed.