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Even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended the lockdown to fight coronavirus pandemic across the country till May 3, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati, while paying her tributes to Dr BR Ambedkar on his 129th birth anniversary, said that her party would support the prime minister’s decision on the condition that it does not create problems for the citizens.
“The BSP will support if the Centre extends coronavirus lockdown while keeping in mind the interest of the public. The government must consider the condition of the poor, labourers, farmers and other working class and provide help during lockdown,” the BSP chief said in a statement issued on Tuesday.
On the occasion of Ambedkar Jayanti, Mayawati also said, “I pay respects to Dr Ambedkar on behalf of the BSP and crores of his followers. He spent his life ensuring that Dalits, tribals and marginalised communities lived with self-respect. The BSP was established on this day in 1984 to fulfil his dreams.”
In her address, the BSP chief also slammed the government, alleging that due to lockdown, Dalits and most backward communities were in pain and their condition had only worsened.
“Most of the Dalits and most backwards were among those who had to flee different parts of the country during lockdown. Of the migrant labourers fleeing due to lockdown, 90 per cent were Dalits and backwards,” she said.
Mayawati said that the government did not make arrangements to provide transport to migrant labourers and now several thousands such workers were on the verge of starvation at shelter homes.
Demanding that the government make arrangements for daily wagers, she said that caste discrimination was making life difficult for Dalits and most backwards.
The BSP chief also hit out at the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi, alleging that they did everything to get votes during elections but failed to provide respite to daily wagers during lockdown and instead ferried them to Delhi-UP borders, rendering the situation grim.
“This kind of behaviour meted out to Dalits and backwards could only be avoided in future if the key of power was with the Dalits,” she said.