BSP to stage demo against Women Reservation Bill on April 14

Accusing the Congress of being anti-Dalit, BSP supremo Mayawati today said her party would stage demonstrations against the Women Reservation Bill across the country on April 14.

"Congress and other political parties had always been against Dalits and this is evident from the fact that no separate quota has been carved out for SC/ST women in 33% reservation proposed in the Women Reservation Bill," Mayawati said, addressing a rally here to mark the party's silver jubilee function.

The Uttar Pradesh chief minister said her party boycotted the passage of the bill in Parliament to register its protest.

"The BSP would stage demonstration at district headquarters across the country on the birth anniversary of Ambedkar on April 14 to protest the bill," she announced.

Mayawati claimed that even the BSP's suggestion of a separate quota for backward and poor women from upper caste was not incorporated in the bill.

"Congress people claim themselves to be the biggest sympathisers of women and are praising Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi. In reality, whatever rights women have got in the field of education, employment and politics, it is due to Ambedkar," she said.

The BSP's silver jubilee celebration also marks the birth anniversary of party founder Kanshiram.

Mayawati's party, like the Samajwadi Party and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, opposes Women Reservation Bill in its present form and seeks quota within quota for SC/ST women in it. Mayawati said it was Ambedkar who for the first time provided equal opportunities to women in the Constitution.

"Another evidence of Congress being anti-Dalit came to the fore when the Centre did not announce even a single day national mourning on the death of Kanshiram, who devoted his entire life for the upliftment of SC/ST and downtrodden," she alleged.

Taking a potshot at the Congress leaders' visit to Dalit houses, she said it was a "drama".

"Congress and other party leaders, who had been staging this drama of visiting houses of Dalits and sharing food with them have been exposed," she alleged.

Mayawati said that casteism prevented SC/STs and backwards to lead a dignified and equitable life in the country. They did not had rights of education, to contest election and lead a dignified life like people of other castes, she said.

"It was due to Ambedkar that SC/STs and backwards got legal rights to lead an equitable life, which was strongly opposed by the Congress and other parties, and which continued till date," the BSP leader added.

Mayawati said the Women Reservation Bill was an example of anti-Dalit mentality of the Congress and other political parties.