The Hindu : 'Mayawati singing RSS tune', says SP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 05, 2002

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Other States - Uttar Pradesh

'Mayawati singing RSS tune', says SP

By J P Shukla

LUCKNOW MAY 4. The Samajwadi Party today came down heavily on the newly-inducted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati, for ''singing the tune of the RSS'' after taking over the reins of the State.

``The very first press conference of Ms Mayawati as Chief Minister had given enough indications that she was determined to fulfil the agenda of communal forces represented by the Sangh Parivar.

She had made wrong statements regarding the performance of her past governments and by giving a clean chit to the Narendra Modi Government in Gujarat in connection with communal riots there, she had only rubbed salt into the wounds of the minority community,'' said Ahmed Hasan, Samajwadi Party leader in the State Legislative Council.

Talking to newspersons here, Mr Hasan said all independent agencies, including the National Human Rights Commission, the Minorities Commission and the National Women's Commission had held the Modi Government responsible for the continuing communal riots in Gujarat.

Ms Mayawati at her press conference yesterday, however, had kept mum on the issue, though she demanded an enquiry into the Godhra incidents. ''Ms Mayawati had thus gone one step ahead of Mr Modi himself in defending his Government.''Mr Hasan pointed out that in the Maliana-Hashimpura incidents in 1989 a total of 42 innocent youths had been killed. The case was later investigated and chargesheets filed against the guilty.

The then SP Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh Yadav, had directed prosecution of the accused but after his Government fell and Ms Mayawati became Chief Minister, she decided not to proceed with the case. At her press conference yesterday, she had given ''incorrect facts'' to conceal her complicity, Mr Hasan added.

He also contradicted Ms Mayawati's claim that her past Government had been able to prevent communal riots. ''Members of the minority community well remember even today as to what had happened to them in the riots at Dilerganj, Pratapgarh, Moradabad and Mau during the rule of Ms Mayawati. She was also known for supporting the BJP on the Religious Places Bill and discriminating against Muslim officers during her Chief Ministership.'' Out of 83 districts in UP she had posted a Muslim officer as district magistrate in only one district and also only one district superintendent of police.

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'Mayawati singing RSS tune', says SP