Mayawati, defiant of SC verdict, lures Muslims, Dalits to vote for BSP

The Supreme Court may have said that seeking votes in the name of caste, religion and language is illegal, but it seems that it has no effect on BSP chief Mayawati

Barely 24 hours after the Supreme Court verdict, the BSP's supremo Mayawati called on Muslims and Dalits to not 'waste their votes'. The SC, had in a landmark verdict said that it was illegal to seek votes in the name of caste, religion and language.

The BSP chief on Tuesday cautioned Muslims in Uttar Pradesh not to split their votes and said that Dalits will not be swayed by hollow words. "Muslims will have to be extra cautious in the coming assembly elections and not waste their vote on the Samajwadi Party," she said.

While rubbishing allegations that she believed in caste-based politics, Mayawati said that she believes in the well-being of all and allocated seats to all castes. While luring the Muslims and Dalits she said that her party took care of the upper castes as well.

On Monday, the SC held that religion has no role in electoral process and this is a secular activity. "Mixing state with religion is not constitutionally permissible. The relationship between man and God is an individual choice and the state is forbidden to have allegiance to such an activity," the SC had said.

"An appeal in the name of religion, race, caste, community or language is impermissible under the Representation of Peoples' Act, 1951 and would constitute a corrupt practice sufficient to annul the election in which such an appeal was made regardless whether the appeal was in the name of the candidate's religion or the religion of the election agent or that of the opponent or that of the voter's," the majority on the Bench held.