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Mayawati dares the Congress in Amethi

By J.P. Shukla

LUCKNOW DEC. 3. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mayawati, has made her intentions clear of taking the battle into the Congress' turf by announcing her plan to hold a `Savdhan rally' in Amethi on November 11.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is taking all efforts to ensure a grand show and many Ministers are working to bring in the crowds for the rally in Amethi, which is represented in the Lok Sabha by the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi.

It all started during the recent visit of Ms. Gandhi's daughter, Priyanka Vadra, to the constituency. Ms. Vadra took up the cause of a Dalit, Shambhu Nath, who alleged that his house had been demolished and that he had been dispossessed of the land by an upper caste person. She took Mr. Nath to the police station and registered a complaint.

Ms. Mayawati denounced the Congress for creating problems over a trivial issue, adding that Mr. Nath had no claim over the land on which his house was built.

The Chief Minister alleged that the Congress was trying to create tension between members of the Scheduled Castes and the upper castes. The objective of her Government was to ensure justice for everyone, she said, but she could not take sides with a Dalit if his case was not genuine.

Ms. Mayawati also chided the Congress for its "fake concern" for Dalits. "It is strange that a party which did nothing to solve the problems of Dalits when it was in power has suddenly become so concerned about their plight."

Besides taking the Congress to task for its "fake concern for Dalits", Ms. Mayawati is likely to make important announcements at the rally to improve the image of her party in the Congress bastion. She is expected to announce the creation of a new district of Amethi with headquarters in Gauriganj. She is also likely to announce the name of her party candidate for the byelection in Amethi, which has been necessitated by the death of the Congress MLA.

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