Hitting out at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, Union Minister Kaushal Kishore on Monday said the BSP is indulging in caste politics and is not concerned about people's problems.
He also stated that when Mayawati talks about 'casteism', they attack the mission of Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar.
Speaking to ANI, the MoS for Housing and Urban Affairs said, "I regret that BSP and their party chief Mayawati follow the ideology of Dr Ambedkar but when they talk about casteism, they attack his mission.
This comes in the backdrop of BSP holding a Brahmin Sammelan on July 23 in Ayodhya.
"Dr Ambedkar had dreamed of a caste-free society and we are working towards it. If someone is not helping in taking the mission forward, at least they should not take it backwards and Mayawati is doing the same," Kishore said.
He said, "Discussing for whom a particular caste would vote during elections shows that the BSP is not concerned about solving people's issues, and casteism is important for them. The people who are more concerned about the castes cannot help people."
Talking about the steps taken by the Uttar Pradesh government and the Centre, the Union Minister said, "The state and the Centre government has provided free electricity to people, the government started Ujjwala Yojana which benefited 50 lakh people, provided free health facilities to at least 50 crore people and also provided free ration to 80 crore people during COVID-19."
"In Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath did not start marrying off girls from poor families on the basis of caste. This is not casteism or communalism, this is helping people who need help," he said.
Slamming Mayawati further, he said, "BSP chief is deliberately involving casteism as she does not have an idea about economic policies, education policies and the policies of Dr Ambedkar."
Ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls scheduled for next year, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Sunday said that the party would hold a 'Brahmin Sammelan' on July 23 in Ayodhya.
Addressing a press conference in Lucknow, Mayawati said, "BSP will hold Brahmin Sammelan on July 23 in Ayodhya ahead of the polls in the state. I am very hopeful that Brahmins will not vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the next Assembly polls."
She further stated that a campaign will be launched to assure the Brahmin community that their "interests are safe in BSP rule only."
Commenting on Congress being open to the possibility of a coalition in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the assembly elections scheduled next year, Kishore said, "During the previous assembly elections, SP and BSP formed an alliance and failed and now Congress is forming an alliance. People know that they are forming alliances to come into power in the state. Only BJP is working for people."
Congress General Secretary and Uttar Pradesh in-charge Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, during her tour of Lucknow on Sunday, said that the party is open to the possibility of a coalition in Uttar Pradesh.
( With inputs from ANI )
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