After stressing that her party does not believe in making promises but acting on them, Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati on Saturday vowed to waive farmers’ loans up to Rs 1 lakh per head and extend quota benefits to the poor among the upper castes.
"The reservation facility to Dalits and backwards will come to an end in case the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), which is working on RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) agenda, comes to power in UP....With the BSP in power, quota facility will continue besides reservation will also be extended to the poor among the upper castes, based on their financial condition," she told a public meeting in Bareilly.
"When voted to power, the BSP government will waive loans up to Rs 1 lakh to poor farmers," she said.
Addressing a press conference on her birthday last month, Mayawati had stated that unlike other parties offering allurements in manifesto which they do not keep, the BSP does not believe in having such a pledge document as it wants to work instead of making tall promises.
Alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi helped his confidants adjust their black money in 10 months prior to note ban, Mayawati said the BJP has realised the extent of anger among people on the issue and that is why no one has been projected as its chief ministerial candidate.
She accused the SP government of indulging in politics of vendetta and said minorities and Dalits were framed and sent to jail.
She promised that these cases will be reviewed and those found innocent will be freed.
Mayawati said that after the Yadav family feud, minorities have become totally disenchanted with the Samajwadi Party and feared that the SP-Congress alliance would indirectly help the BJP.
"Mulayam Singh humiliated his brother Shivpal due to his love for his son Akhilesh, now Shivpal’s supporters will not sit silently...SP is divided into two parts...if minorities do not sit up they will have to face problems," she said.
Cautioning minorities against the BJP, Mayawati said Modi government is looking at them with doubt and they are being meted step-motherly treatment in the country.
"The Modi government is interfering in common civil code, triple talaq...minorities are being troubled in the name of gauraksha, love jihad and terrorism," she added.
Photograph: PTI Photo
