UPA not serious on quota issue: Mayawati

Aligarh/Mathura, Mar 31 (UNI) BSP president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati today alleged the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre was not serious on the issue of OBC reservation in higher education.

Addressing election meetings in Aligarh and Mathura, Ms Mayawati said if the centre was serious on the issue, the OBC quota would have been promulgated after a fresh census was done.

However, she advised party cadre do desist from agitating against the apex court order staying the OBC quota provision, saying it would only help the opposition parties at this juncture.

''The opposition is projecting BSP as anti-Muslim, which is wrong,'' she claimed referring to 61 Muslim BSP candidates in the coming UP poll to buttress her point.

Terming the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led UP government as ''illegal,'' she asserted that only BSP could dislodge the current regime.

''Even after the apex court disqualified the rebel BSP MLAs, who had helped Mr Yadav form the state government, Congress did not dismiss the regime, while BJP is quiet over the issue...this shows these parties are least bothered about the state,'' she reminded.

Alleging a secret pact between SP and BJP, the former CM claimed while BJP would help SP in UP, the latter would return the favour at the Centre.

''BSP has a direct fight with SP in the poll, as the people are fed-up with Mulayam's misrule...only BSP can restore law and order and put anti-social elements behind bars,'' she repeated.

Ms Mayawati asked her cadre not to react even if someone swore on her or BSP founder Kanshi Ram or ideologue Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar.

''Just note down the name of the person...we will get even later,'' she suggested.

The BSP leader reiterated that Mr Yadav and SP general secretary Amar Singh had amassed ill-gotten wealth to the tune of billions of rupees and were trying to flee the country.

''Once, BSP forms the government in UP, all such cases will be probed and the accused brought to books...they will not be allowed to go scot-free,'' she maintained.

UNI