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Journalism of Courage
While the ruling BSP threatens to 8216;8216;expose8217;8217; SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav at its mahapardafash rally on April 14, the latter is ready with another CD and videotape 8216;8216;revealing8217;8217; Chief Minister Mayawati8217;s anti-religious approach.
This tape follows the one last month in which Mayawati was shown asking her party MLAs and MPs to contribute to the party fund out of the Vidhayak and Sansad Nidhi MP/ MLA fund they get every year.
The second CD, a copy of which is available with The Indian Express, begins with the Chief Minister telling party workers how important the money is for the BSP to face the manuwadi parties because 8216;8216;the power is the key to development of Dalits.8217;8217;
8216;8216;Party ko har saal 3.5 crore rupaye ki zaroorat hoti hai movement chalane ke liye. Yeh paisa apko ikattha karna hai The party needs Rs 3.5 crore annually and you have to arrange it. We get money from membership and also through the bags which you people present when either I or Kanshiramji address meetings. That8217;s not enough,8217;8217; she says in the CD reportedly filmed on February 11, 2001, when she was not the CM.
In what may cause embarrassment to the BJP, Mayawati is saying that there8217;s a need to motivate the Dalits and the Most Backwards to contribute to the party fund instead of making offerings to Gods.
8216;8216;Pathar ki devi ko charhawa aata hai jisey baad mein kutta kha jata hai. Jo devta kuttey se apni raksha nahin kar sakta, woh tumhara bhagya kya badlega Dogs gobble up offerings to the deity. How will one, who cannot protect Himself from a dog, change your luck,8217;8217; she says.
The CM dwells on how smaller parties 8212; like the Republican Party 8212; could not survive. 8216;8216;While the BSP manages to function with a small amount, the manuwadi parties are spending a lot,8217;8217; she says in the 38-minute CD.
