BJP today accused BSP supremo Mayawati of failing to protect the interests of Dalits, saying the 85th constitutional amendment for reservation in promotion was reversed by the Allahabad High Court in absence of proper advocacy when she was the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.
"The Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had done 81st, 82nd and 85th constitutional amendments. The 85th amendment regarding reservation in promotion was reversed by the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court in the absence of proper advocacy. Mayawati was Chief Minister at that time. From the point of view of interest of SCs/STs how relevant is the existence of the party? That is the big question," Udit Raj, who recently joined BJP and a Special Invitee to the party's National Executive, said.
He said in a very small span of time he had realised that BJP is not against Dalits and tribes, and there is huge scope for these people here to work for the society.
"There is a perception that BJP is anti-Dalits but it is a myth and not the reality," he said, adding that all underprivileged should join the party and elect Narendra Modi as the country's next Prime Minister.
Raj, who is also the secretary General of National Dalit Front, said its president Ram Vilas Paswan and working president Ramdas Athawale were now with the BJP, and it hinted that a maximum number of SC, ST and other backwards will vote in favour of the party".
Raj said the Bahujan Samaj Party had emerged when the country's economic situation was a matter of grave concern. At that time whatever experiments were done to tackle the situation were not sufficient to improve the status of SCs, STs and other backwards.
He said the new economic policy changed the economic world and as a result many new sectors like capital market, telecom, service sectors, market, construction, share market emerged which completely excluded SC, ST and OBCs.
"BSP was not able to stand against these policies and could not secure its participation in these sectors. Due to which the number of government jobs have been decreased," Raj said.
The Dalit leader said BJP has done important works to uplift SCs, STs and OBC, and added that the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government declared the birthplace and enlightenment place of B R Ambedkar at Mahu as a national monument.
BJP has also set up a separate schedule tribe development ministry, he said.
