Paying homage to Mahatma Jyotiba Phule on his birth anniversary, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday said that before the formation of her government in Uttar Pradesh, such a great man remained neglected.

Remembering Phule, Mayawati tweeted that he was the father of social revolution in the country, who started the flame of women’s education and women’s emancipation from his own home, became immortal by creating a humanist history and fighting hard for it throughout his life. She said hundreds of salutes and immense respect were paid to the great son of the country, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, on his birth anniversary on Tuesday.

“Now in the greed of vote bank politics, the same casteist elements are eager to celebrate his birth anniversary in an ostentatious manner,” she said. 

“What kind of remembrance, what kind of tribute is this?” 

Mayawati later said in a statement that Mahatma Jyotiba Phule was introduced for the first time in North India, especially Uttar Pradesh, the state with the large population, only during the BSP government. Efforts were made to give him full respect by installing his statue, naming a district after him, opening Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University,  auditoriums, schools, etc.

Targeting other political parties, Mayawati said that due to the emergence of Dalit/Bahujan Samaj as a political force under the banner of BSP, the same casteist opposition parties are now trying to win their votes. 

“People seem to be very eager to do ostentatious and deceitful work of photo events through Mahatma Jyotiba Phule’s birth anniversary,” she remarked.

The BSP chief said that the people of ‘Bahujan Samaj’ have to unite and get the masterkey of power in order to be able to save themselves, otherwise the ruling elements would not allow the humanist democratic constitution to be implemented properly in this country.