The Hindu : Information not being withheld: Mayawati

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 13, 2002

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Information not being withheld: Mayawati

By Our Special Correspondent

LUCKNOW MAY 12. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati, today denied reports that she had placed restrictions on the release of information to the media with regard to transfers of officials.

Talking to newspersons here, Ms. Mayawati said it was because of some misunderstanding about the new policy on the announcement of transfers that problems had cropped up with the media during the past two days.

She had decided that the list relating to State-level transfers would be released from Lucknow, while that relating to others would be released from the districts.

Ms. Mayawati rejected the criticism that she had effected an unusually large number of transfers. Every new Government posted officials of its choice in key positions and what she had done was only to strengthen the administration.

She claimed that the partners of her ruling coalition had no problem with the transfers as it had been agreed that the Chief Minister would have the last say in this. She had changed only 100 officers and it was just a section of the "Manuwadi press '' that had raised a hue and cry, she said.

The Chief Minister expressed confidence that her Government would prove its majority on the floor of the Assembly on May 17. The Opposition parties — the Samajwadi Party and the Congress — which were carrying on propaganda about the majority of her Government would be disappointed, she said, adding that reports of differences between the BSP and the BJP were without any basis.

On the announcements by some BJP MLAs that they would vote against the motion of confidence, she said it was natural for MLAs aspiring for ministerial posts to present their cases. The BJP MLAs had also tried to create an opinion in their favour by issuing statements. But it did not mean they would vote against the Government.

Ms. Mayawati chided Opposition leaders criticising her decision to form a coalition with the BJP on the ground that she had joined hands with communal forces. The Samajwadi Party had entered into a tacit understanding with the former Chief Minister, Kalyan Singh, over contesting the byelection to the Dibai Assembly constituency, but would claim that its decision was to strengthen secularism. Every one knew what role Kalyan Singh had played in the demolition of the Babri mosque.

There could be no two different yardsticks to measure secularism, she said.

Claiming that the BSP had entered into a long-term understanding with the BJP this time, she said the two parties would unitedly contest the four byelections later this month. The BJP would contest the Dibai Assembly seat, while her party would contest the Lok Sabha seat of Akberpur and the Assembly seats of Jehangirganj and Baheri.

She reiterated that it would be for the BJP to decide who the Speaker would be. The two parties had already agreed on this point.

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