Mayawati makes jumbo promises

Party flags dotted the venue as people came in from different colonies along with their leaders carrying stuffed elephants,the BSP symbol. While others started collecting at the venue by 3 pm,Mayawati arrived a little before 7 pm.

Local leaders,including councillors of the Municipal Corporation,criticised the lack of development under the Congress regime. Among the issues that generated maximum response were demolition of houses and the promise to rehabilitate colony dwellers if the BSP is voted to power.

The arrival of Mayawati charged up the crowd,which went up on its feet to catch a glimpse of the leader.

Reiterating her party’s stand,Mayawati enumerated various steps it would take to protect the interests of the minorities when elected to power at the Centre.

Addressing the gathering,she talked about the injustice meted out towards the Sikhs by both the Congress and the BJP. Mayawati said she would ensure that the Sikhs affected by the riots in 1984 get justice.

“No one has done justice with the Sikhs,be it the Congress or the NDA. When Indira Gandhi died in 1984 two people were responsible for it,but the party made the whole community suffer. Those who committed the crime should have been punished. The NDA assured justice for Sikhs but nothing was done. Both the parties are the same. Since Chandigarh has a large number of Sikhs,I would like to assure them that justice would be done once we come to power,” she said.

Mayawati said while the Congress claims they view all communities alike,this does not seems to be the case. “No attention has been paid to the Sachchar committee report. We have reservations for Muslims in UP,” she added.

She further said BSP has ensured adequate representation to all sections of society in the distribution of tickets. “Since independence the economic situation of SCs,STs and OBCs has not improved. Unemployment is increasing. Since it is the industrialists who support the Congress and BJP,all economic policies are made to suit them,” she said.

Listing out the achievements of the government in UP,she said if people want this to be repeated in other states,the BSP should be voted to power.

Naming the priorities of the party in the city,BSP candidate Harmohan Dhawan said that colony residents would be given three-room houses,Chandigarh would be developed into a tourist destination,retirement age would be increased to 60 years and SC/ST certificates would be given within three months of the party coming to power.

‘Maya zaroori hai’

Local leaders left no stone unturned in projecting Mayawati as their prime ministerial candidate. Slogans of “desh ki majboori hai,Mayawati zaroori hai” filled the air as they stressed no government was possible without the support of BSP. Much to the delight of the crowd,BSP national general secretary Man Singh Manhera referred to Mayawati as the “iron lady” and “Zinda Devi”,which drew huge applause.

Discrimination
As not every one was allowed on the main stage,a separate stage was set up for the local leaders. At this,Balmiki Samaj leader Kartar Singh accused Man Singh Manhera,who was conducting the proceedings,of being against the Balmikis. As Manhera termed it a conspiracy by the Congress,Singh was taken off the stage. After this,most of the other leaders,too,were asked to leave.

No patience
Before the start of the rally,the leaders from colonies claimed the crowd had not been collected by paying money,“as is done by Congress and BJP”. They said the people had come just to see Mayawati. However,as the rally continued till late at night,not many waited for her speech to get over and had started moving out much before.

Complaining supporters
The supporters could be heard complaining of inadequate arrangements at and facilities at the rally ground. The stage was erected in such a way that people could not see their leaders properly.