Mayawati sounds poll bugle in Agra, fires salvos at BJP, Cong

Agra, Aug 21 (ANI): With an eye on the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Sunday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Centre failed to fulfil its development promise and was strengthening communal forces, which were harassing minorities and other backward people in the name of cow protection. Flagging off the first phase of the BSP campaign here, Mayawati said Dalits are being persecuted in the BJP-ruled states. "In every state, especially in the BJP-ruled states, Dalits and backward castes are being discriminated and persecuted. Death of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, the Una Dalit incident and the Dayashankar scandal in Uttar Pradesh are some of the examples," she said. Criticising Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat for allegedly asking the Hindus to produce more children, she said, "At a time when inflation is rising, and Hindu children are dying of starvation, he is asking the Hindu community to produce more children. I think he should ask Prime Minister Narendra Modi whether he has the capacity to provide food and shelter to them." She said ever since the BJP came to power, the Muslim community is getting harassed by 'gau rakshaks', 'love jihad' and Hindu nationalists. Attacking the Congress Party, Mayawati said the party's decision to introduce Shiela Diskhit as the chief ministerial candidate is an effort to lure upper caste voters. "I want to remind you that she is the same women who blamed the people of U.P. and Bihar of deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi," she added. Mayawati said the combined forces of the BJP, Congress and Samajwadi Party would not be able to stop the BSP from forming a government in U.P. Mayawati will address a rally every week. Her next stop is arch rival and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's constituency Azamgarh in eastern Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)