Mayawati tries to woo Muslims

Kaushambhi, Apr 30 (UNI) Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati today asserted besides the fact that her party had ruled the state in alliance with BJP, her party did its best for the welfare of the Muslim community.

Addressing an election meeting here, she lamented, ''the Opposition parties say the BSP is anti-Muslim, but they are unaware that we always delivered for the welfare of Muslims.'' Citing examples, Mayawati said, ''Muslim worship places in Mathura and Varanasi were protected like a child under my regime.'' She further assured of providing reservation to Muslims in government jobs, if the BSP came to power.

''Former prime minister V P Singh and CM Mulayam Singh Yadav strengthened BJP in 1989 in the form of third front, when the party improved its number of MPs from two to 86,'' Ms Mayawati added.

''The crime graph has reached its peak in UP under the ruling SP regime, which was formed with the support of the Congress, RLD and BJP,'' she said.

No citizen is safe under the SP rule, which has only given protection to criminals. Both Mr Yadav and SP leader Amar Singh are befooling the masses, she alleged.

Cautioning people of the Opposition parties, Ms Mayawati urged them to vote for the BSP, if they wanted peace and law and order in UP.

UNI