BSP chief Mayawati nearly spoilt Rahul Gandhi’s birthday celebrations on Friday, kicking off a “sharam karo” (have shame) movement in UP that targets the Congress.
On the other hand, the state Congress unit celebrated the occasion as “samrasta diwas” (egalitarianism day). Party workers and leaders went to Dalit households, shared a meal with them and heard their problems.
Agitated over the party’s clever strategy, Mayawati lashed out at the Congress leadership, and especially Rahul Gandhi, for playing politics to get Dalit votes. “While Congress workers are celebrating his birthday here, Rahul has gone abroad,” she quipped.
Mayawati’s ire, however, could not dampen spirits in the Congress camp. Apart from breaking bread with Dalit families, numerous other programmes were organised to mark the occasion. Rahul was omnipresent on placards, posters and hoardings.
The distribution of sweets at the party office which started in the morning continued till evening. Party workers took out processions, and cycle and motorcycle rallies at several places shouting ‘Rahul Gandhi zindabad’.
In Meerut, party workers feted Rahul, Sonia and Manmohan, though the trio was present only in the form of masks! In Lucknow, the Congress Sewa Dal put Mayawati on trial for calling Mahatma Gandhi ‘natakbaz’. The verdict: Mayawati is stripped of her CM’ship and barred from contesting polls for a lifetime!
“Mayawati should be organising a ‘sharam karo’ campaign for the crimes and atrocities against Dalits throughout UP,” UP Congress spokesman Dwijendra Tripathi said. “What is her problem if we go to Dalit homes and discuss their problems? Does Mayawati have an exclusive contract for Dalit welfare?” he asked angrily.
At a meeting of BSP workers here, Mayawati feebly reasoned that the “sharam karo” campaign has nothing to do with Rahul’s birthday. “June 19 is a historical day for the BSP. When I first became CM on June 3, 1995, I had moved the confidence vote on June 19,” she said. Why the BSP never did anything to mark this “historical” occasion over the past 13 years is a question which Mayawati would best like to duck.
She said the campaign’s objective was to spread awareness about casteism and to defeat the forces spreading hatred. “We want to establish ‘samta-moolak samaj’ (egalitarian society). We will fight for ‘bhai-chara” (brotherhood) in ‘sarva samaj’ (all castes)... this campaign will continue till this end is achieved,” she said.
