BSP today criticised the Centre's 'Stand Up India' scheme, saying it was mere a "political drama" by BJP ahead of the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had yesterday launched the scheme which facilitates bank loans between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore to Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and women borrowers setting up greenfield enterprises in the non-farm sector.
"The Stand Up India programme is nothing but a political drama before the UP Assembly polls...If they are really concerned about Dalits and adivasis, they should first fill up vacant reserved posts," BSP supremo Mayawati said in a statement.
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BJP is diverting people's attention ahead of the assembly polls by resorting to the "new drama of 'Start up India' and 'Stand up India'", she alleged.
Seeking to woo backwards before the coming Assembly
polls, Mayawati took credit for implementation of Mandal commission recommendations by the then VP Singh government.
The BSP supremo said that after Singh, the then Prime Minister, implemented the report as per the conditions laid down by her party in return for its support, BJP withdrew its prop bringing down the government.
The BSP president also alleged that Prime Minister Modi belonged to higher caste in Gujarat but in the post-Mandal scenario in 1994, he got his caste included in the OBC list to get backward votes.
"OBC ki vote ki khatir Modi ne apna chola hi badal diya (to garner votes, he became a turncoat)," she said adding that he has encroached upon the rights of the backwards and also betrayed them.
Going all out to woo Muslims, Mayawati said they have got their rights because of Ambedkar who carved out a secular Constitution which was, however, not liked by BJP and RSS.
"Now BJP and RSS want to change the secular Constitution and establish the old order of Hindutvadi caste based system," she said.
She noted that the disputed Babri structure was also demolished on this day in 1992 by saffron forces to send a message that they do not believe in the Constitution framed by Ambedkar.
"It was because of a very petty mindset that the structure was demolished on this day to send a message that they do not believe in the secular Constitution of Ambedkar...BJP and RSS do not want anyone other than Hindus to lead a dignified life and their religious places to remain secure," she said.
