Responding to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati's salvo at Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he has not yet become a fakir (beggar), but has definitely turned 90 percent of the country's population into fakirs (beggars)", the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday said the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister only collects currency notes in the name of Dalits and Ambedkar, whereas the BJP has established five places associated with Ambedkar as 'Pancha Tirth'.
"Behanji (Mayawati) has done politics in the name of Dalits and Ambedkar, but she has nothing to do with Ambedkar. She backed the Congress, which humiliated Ambedkar, and plundered the nation for 10 years, whereas the BJP established the five places associated with Ambedkar as 'Pancha Tirth'. Behanji doesn't have moral right to take Ambedkar's name as she has done nothing. She only collects notes in the name of Dalits," BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma told ANI.
Defending the Prime Minister's demonetisation policy, Sharma said, "The aim behind the demonetisation drive is to root out corruption and to eradicate the menace of black money from society. Prime Minister Modi's government is making all-out effort for the upliftment of the poor. It was said even before taking oath that this government is of the poor, and if anybody really has right over the government, then it is with the person who is standing last in the queue, and our government is working for their upliftment."
Taking a pot-shot on Mayawati for criticising the Prime Minister, he said, "Mayawati's trouble is why the Prime Minister Modi is solving the poor's problems. Because she doesn't want betterment of the poor; she doesn't want 24-hour power supply, water for farmer, international-level roads in villages and all other basic amenities that the people of our villages rightfully deserve."
"Modiji's pledge of India's development is guided by development of villages, whereas for Mayawati or Congress leaders or leaders of any other parties, their aim is development of their family as they have hardly worried about the nation. PM cares for the country and is worried about the development of our villages that is why he is a shore to their eyes," he said.
Reminding Mayawati of Dalit atrocities during her regime in Uttar Pradesh, Sharma said, "More than 30,000 cases of Dalit atrocities came to light and 1,100 Dalits were murdered in the state right under the nose of Behanji. But time is now changing in Uttar Pradesh, and Behanji can read very clearly her defeat written on the wall. The BJP will form a government with full majority in Uttar Pradesh."
Addressing a rally in Lucknow yesterday, Mayawati said Dr. Ambedkar drafted the Indian Constitution on the basis of religious equality, but it is not acceptable to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP, because they want to impose Hindutva.
More From This Section
Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent 'mai toh fakir hoon' statement, the BSP supremo said the demonetisation move of the Centre has rendered 90 percent of Indian population fakir and not Prime Minister Modi.
Addressing a BJP's Parivartan rally in Moradabad on December 3, Prime Minister Modi had called himself a "fakir".