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Mayawati is using RSS veteran's anti-reservation remarks to cripple BJP in UP polls

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Sharat Pradhan
Sharat PradhanFeb 05, 2017 | 10:18

Mayawati is using RSS veteran's anti-reservation remarks to cripple BJP in UP polls

The anti-reservation remarks made by Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) spokesman Manmohan Vaidya ahead of the Uttar Pradesh polls have come in handy for Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati, who is capitalising on them to train her guns at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Addressing a series of rallies in different parts of UP, Mayawati has been busy impressing upon her voters that any vote for BJP will mean a “vote against reservation”.

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She has been using the card to attack prime minister Narendra Modi, whom she terms “anti-Dalit” and “anti-reservation”.

The RSS leader’s observations, seeking review of the nation’s reservation policy, came at a time the BSP chief was rattled because a section of her traditional voter base had begun to praise Modi’s demonetisation drive, which had forged a divide between the haves and have-nots — a large chunk of them traditionally being BSP supporters.

The economically weak were seen lauding demonetisation, which they saw as a “good move” to combat black money.

That set the alarm bells ringing for Mayawati, who could sense the threat of losing her captive vote bank.

But the RSS spokesman's remark, delivered at the Jaipur Literary Festival, came to the former UP CM's rescue: “Reservations for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes were introduced in the Constitution to remedy the historical injustice done to them. But even Ambedkar did no advocate for its indefinite continuance. There should be a time limit to it.”

Vaidya felt that instead of continuing with reservations, there was a need to provide equal opportunity to the downtrodden.

He said an indefinite reservation policy will promote social strife and sectarianism.

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Mayawati is telling voters: 'It is now quite evident that the Narendra Modi government is preparing to do away with the reservation policy.' Photo: DailyO

No sooner had the statement made headlines, than the BJP slipped into the damage control mode.

They found it convenient to blame the media for "misquoting" Vaidya.

The RSS spokesman’s remark has come as a godsend to assail the BJP. Holding rallies in different constituencies of Western UP that goes to the polls in the first phase of the elections on February 11, Mayawati has been warning her audience, “It is now quite evident that the Narendra Modi government is preparing to do away with the reservation policy.”

She cautioned her voter base: “Remember RSS and BJP are two sides of the same coin and if an anti-reservation statement has been issued by an RSS leader, it cannot be without consensus with prime minister Modi. Please do not get carried away with the promises made by him.”

Knowing a similar “anti-reservation” remark by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on the eve of the 2015 Bihar Assembly elections had damaged the BJP’s prospects in that state, the BSP president used Vaidya's statement to full advantage.

BSP insiders feel that the RSS leader’s “anti-reservation” statement has exposed BJP’s underhand designs. They are confident it would prevent any drift of even a small section of Dalits as voters can now see the saffron brigade’s real “anti-reservation” face.

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Mayawati appealed not only to the Dalits, but also the EBCs, whose vote is as crucial to her party’s future.

However, it was the Muslim vote for which she seemed even more desperate. If she was targeting BJP to re-consolidate her Dalit vote bank, she also left no stone unturned to lure the Muslim vote.

Sensing that Muslims would gravitate towards the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance that was being systematically projected as a more potent force to combat the BJP, Mayawati is also busy running down the alliance.

“Please do not vote for the SP-Congress alliance for it cannot protect you from the communal onslaught of BJP,” she told the minority.

She sought to remind them that the Akhilesh Yadav government had failed to protect them during the Muzaffarnagar riots of 2013.

“Remember how innocent Muslims were forced to leave their homes to save their lives," the BSP chief said, emphasising that the BSP alone could protect the community from the goonda raj of SP as well as the communal forces.

Last updated: February 07, 2017 | 11:29
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