Mayawat hits out at BJP, Congress for appropriating Ambedkar legacy

LUCKNOW: For a party born and rooted in the philosophy of BR Ambedkar, Bahuajn Samaj Party chief Mayawati confined herself to offering floral tributes and a speech to a relatively smaller gathering on the 124th birth anniversary of the party icon. Known for holding huge rallies, the gathering on Tuesday at the Ambedkar Memorial was less than a fifth of usual attendance.
Though she hit out at BJP and Congress for attempting to appropriate the legacy of Ambedkar, the BSP chief was found wanting in organising a fitting celebration' in the state capital and districts at the start of the 125th birth anniversary year of Ambedkar, even as BSP rivals are trying to outdo each other in various parts of the country.

"Other parties do drama of celebrating Dr Ambedkar's anniversary in a grand man ner but they never bothered to give him the due respect in his lifetime," she said. Mayawati said that Congress had ensured that Ambedkar lost his first Lok Sabha election from Mumbai and was scath ing in her attack on BJP and RSS for trying to `appropriate' Dr Ambedkar's legacy.

"They are propagating that Dr Ambedkar supported RSS for its work among Dalits. Had it been so, Dr Ambedkar would never have gone and accepted Buddhism, which practices equality and peace for all" Mayawati said.

She claimed that just before the 2017 assembly polls in the state, BJP would reach out to the Dalit community and announce some big schemes to lure them but the cadres should not be misguided by such gimmicks. "During polls BJP calls every caste as Hindus, and after the elections are over only works for the rich and few privileged castes" Mayawati said.

Without taking names, she said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised before the Lok Sabah polls that each Indian would get Rs 15 lakh out of the black money brought back to India but till now no one has received a single penny.