Chairman of the National Commission for Schedule Caste (NCSC)Pl Puniapraised Bharatiya Janta Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi for his cooperation on taking up issues related to Dalit community.
Gujrat chief minister Narendra Modi give me full time and cooperation to discuss the issues related to Dalit community and appreciated work taken by the Commission", cited Congress MP Pl Puniya while making high praises for BJP’s prime ministerial candidate for his wonderful work done in support on the Dalit’s issue and for implementing all the recommendations made by the Commission. Puniya made the above remarks on Modi while replying that whether any other state like Uttar Pradesh, which during Mayawati’s regime never discussed the issues, related to the Dalit community, with Pl Punia who is chairman of the NCSC. The remarks, however, surprised the entire Party leaders present during the press conference as they claimed that it was only Rahul who is fighting for rights of the Dalits.
Pl Punia, however, supported Rahul’s recent attack on Mayawati that she suppressed the Dalits from coming to fore front in the Political fields. Yes, it was true that Mayawati never wanted any other Dalit leader to come on the front line and a prime example of it was removal of KK
Gautam from the finance minister post during Bahujan Samaj Party’s regime just two days prior to presentation of budget just as Party supremo not wanted Gautam’s name to be highlighted when the budget will be put before the Assembly", alleged Punia while supporting Rahul’s remark on Mayawati.
Punia was talking to media persons during a felicitation ceremony organised at Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee office for appointing the Congress MP for second term as the Chairman of the NCSC on October 21 last. Punia was the only leader who get second term. Former IAS officer claimed that now he sought time from chief minister Akhilesh Yadav to give some time to review Dalit atrocities along with the work taken up under Special Compenent Plan and Reservation policy.
Rebuking the media about his dispute with Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma, Punia claimed that Verma is always cordial with him when they meet and has never uttered any foul words against him. However, without naming Verma, Congress MP from Barabanki indirectly sent a message to the union minister that he was not worried with his attack. When prime minister, along with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are happy with my work I not fear of anyone else", he pointed without naming Verma. Earlier, Verma had lambasted Punia and even went to theextent of claiming that he would not be given ticket in the coming lok Sabha elections. '' I can not say that high command will give me the ticket in the lok Sabha elections as it is their prerogative,'' he added on the issue.
He, also clarified, that there would be no obstacles before him to contest the lok Sabha elections even after becoming the Chairman of the NCSC.'' There is no restriction of the
Chairman NCSC contesting the lok Sabha elections and it is out of the preview of the Profit of Post,'' he said. Criticizing the Samajwadi Party government for trying to create politics over the issue of 17 backward castes into Schedule caste category, Punia said that the Central government was doing all effort and the matter is with Registrar General of India. ''The UP government should have patience as it will need a proper survey besides amendment in the Constitution before the proposal to convert 17 backward castes to schedule caste is implemented,'' he said while advising state government that they should cooperate with Registrar general of India instead of taking out Yatras. He also criticized the SP government for violating the rules in implementing the reservation policies and not replying to the queries of the Commission.
When his attention was drawn that the SP was threatening to withdraw their support from the UPA-11 government, the Congress MP said,'' the party was supporting the government to prevent the communal forces in coming to power. If SP withdraws the support now when the situation inthe country is more critical due to communal polarization,
All the effort of the secular party would go on vain,'' he pointed. Punia also criticised the government for its alleged laxity in taking steps to implement the Food Security scheme. "I would like to question the intention of the UP government. It has not even issued instructions preparation of the list of beneficiaries though it has been saying that it requires time for implementing it," Punia told reporters here. "When the governments of Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Andhra Pradesh can implement the scheme, why not UP," he said, adding that all the funds for it are beingprovided by the Centre.
On the issue of chief minister Akhilesh Yadav’s recent objection over Centre’s leader (without naming Sonia Gandhi who laid foundation stone of AIIMS in Rae Bareli during her recent visit) laying stone secretly even when state government had given land for the purpose, Punia said that there is nothing wrong in it. The entire project has been funded by Centre and even they also paid the price of land to state government so they had every right to conduct such ceremony", replied Punia while questioning that schemes like MNREGA, NRHM all are fully funded by Centre but still state government never mentioned their name and even went to claimed ambulances of NRHM as Rs Samajwadi Swasthya Sewaye". He also charged Akhilesh for siphoning of Bundelkhand package to distribute laptops and sponsored other schemes of SP.