Mayavati shoots from BSP shoulder

Mayavati waves to party workers at the rally in Bhopal. (PTI)

Bhopal, Sept. 21: Mayavati today claimed that Bahujan Samaj Party workers found the Supreme Court’s move to indict her in the Taj corridor controversy “objectionable” as it was based on a report submitted by the CBI without hearing the “other side’s” point of view.

The BSP chief chose her words carefully at a maha rally in Bhopal while asserting that the observation was not hers but that of “lakhs and crores” of party workers.

She also made a case for reservations in the judiciary, alleging that her repeated plea for caste-based quota fell on deaf ears.

“I did not even get an acknowledgement from Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee when I wrote to him about reservations in the judiciary, the Rajya Sabha, legislative councils, etc,” she said, while alleging that the manuwadi (upper caste) social order had a vested interest in keeping “85 per cent” of bahujan samaj, consisting of Scheduled Castes and Tribes, religious minorities and other backward classes, out.

She tried to put a brave face on the Taj controversy, saying, in the “next two-to-three days”, she would respond to the allegation “in writing”. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister claimed that “manuwadi forces” had hatched a conspiracy to frame her in “false cases”, including the Taj controversy.

“Everyone knows that bureaucrats are responsible for routine government work and see that rules and norms are not flouted. If it is the job of the chief minister, then what is the point of having scores of IAS, IPS and PCS officials?” she asked.

Often sounding like a woman scorned, Mayavati threatened the Prime Minister, the BJP and the Samajwadi Party to take “revenge with interest”.

“BJP sada satta mein nahin rahnewali. BSP ke bhi din badlenge. Hum bhi kendra mein, satta mein, ayenge. Tab main biyaj ke saath badla loongi. (The BJP is not going to stay in power forever. The BSP will also have its golden days. We will also taste power at the Centre. I will then take revenge with interest.)”

The BSP leader, however, tried to keep a section of the BJP happy, saying she had received a number of sympathetic calls from senior BJP leaders who were tied by party discipline.

“The BSP will remember these well-wishers and not target them,” she said.

Mayavati alleged that Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav was hand in glove with Vajpayee and the BJP.

“He is going to be Hanuman and help construct the Ram temple in Ayodhya,” she said, alleging that the BJP had played a crucial role in installing Mulayam Singh as chief minister.

Significantly, Mayavati largely spared the Congress while addressing the pre-Assembly poll rally. She did not name Digvijay Singh and Sonia Gandhi even once.

The BSP leader also demanded formation of a panel of eminent citizens to probe the assets of top political leaders and prepare a white paper. Mayavati said she had “no faith” in the CBI as it was functioning under the direct control of the Prime Minister.