As she came under attack in parliament over the communal violence in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today held a rally in Lucknow in a big show of strength and slammed the Congress for pushing the Women's Reservation Bill.
Calling Congress anti-dalit, the BSP supremo announced demonstrations against the bill across the country on April 14, the birth anniversary of Dalit icon DR B R Ambedkar.
The rally held to celebrate the 25th anniversary of BSP and attended by tens of thousands of people came under intense attack from Mayawati's arch rival Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.
"While Bareilly is on fire, Mayawati government is spending Rs 200 crore of public money on a rally," Yadav said in Lok Sabha.
Yadav was joined by Congress and BJP members in demanding Centre's intervention to bring back normalcy in riot-hit Bareilly after they attacked the chief minister over the Government's handling of the situation.
Blue--the colour of the BSP--dominated Lucknow city's landscape ahead of the rally touted as the biggest ever in the state.
Hitting back at the opposition parties criticising her for installing her own statues, Mayawati said law does not prevent erecting statues of living persons.
Mayawati in her address said, "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 percent reservation proposed in the Women Reservation Bill.
The Union Home Ministry has sought a report from the UP government on the circumstances that led to the situation in Bareilly.
"From all those people criticising installation of my statues, I would like to ask that in which book of law it has been written that statues of living persons cannot be erected," Mayawati said.
She said her statues were being installed as per the written will of the BSP founder Kanshiram.
"Kanshiramji in his will has directed to install my statues along with those of him," she claimed.
"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 added.
In the Lok Sabha, Mulayam Singh Yadav raised the issue of violence in Bareilly, which has been under curfew since the last fortnight, during Zero Hour.
"What did the state government do to prevent it and bring it under control?" he asked.
His party colleague Shailendra Kumar sought Centre's intervention and demanded a statement on the situation.
JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav, who criticised the state government for preventing political leaders from the town and nearby to visit it as curfew was in place, said the Centre's statement should be made today itself.
"In the last 10 years, Bareilly was never under curfew for 14 continuous days," he added.
Joining the attack on the Mayawati government, Congress member from the state Jagadambika Pal said, "The state government has failed on the law and order front and it appears to be helpless. The Centre should intervene," he said.
BJP members were agitated over Menaka Gandhi, who represents the nearby Aonla, not being granted permission to have her say, despite her repeated pleas.
