Mayawati dares Akhilesh govt to go for mid-term polls

Lucknow, Apr 5: BSP supremo Mayawati on Sunday dared the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh to go in for mid- term polls if it was so confident of its performance during years in the office.

Tearing into the claims of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav that the SP has fulfilled all its poll promises, she told a press conference that the state has become "crime pradesh" and farmers were getting a raw deal.

At the same time, she attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the NDA government has failed to rein in Hindu outfits and improve economy.

She also accused the Centre of practising crony capitalism rather than working in the interest of the poor.

"The Union Budget is pro-capitalist." Opposing the land bill, Mayawati said it was not in the interest of the farmers and should be immediately withdrawn. "The Centre should withdraw the bill amending land acquisition. It should implement the Act passed in 2013," she demanded.

"The Narendra Modi government, in its 10 months regime did not make any serious initiative to fulfil poll promises but is instead practising crony capitalism," Mayawati said.

"They are only working in the interest of capitalists. Development of capitalists is development of the country, that is what they (Centre) feel. They are four times ahead in helping capitalists as compared to Congress," she alleged.

Welcoming Bharat Ratna to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Madan Mohan Malviya, Mayawati said the same should be given to BSP founder Kanshiram for his contributions to social change.

"Like previous UPA government, NDA is also ignoring this," she said. Mayawati claimed that the rising activities of Hindu organisations has made minorities especially muslims and christians 'upset and feel insecure'.

"The Hindu organisations are involved in activities due to which muslims and Christians are feeling upset and insecure," she said.

Even US president Barack Obama and Supreme Court have advised the Centre in this regard but it was not taken seriously, she said, adding that the slogan 'Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas' has failed miserably.

PTI