SP’s Minority Rights Day event mere symbolism: Mayawati

BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday dubbed ruling Samajwadi Party’s observance of a ‘Minority Rights Day’ as symbolism and asked UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to come out of BJP’s “clutches” to honestly work for the welfare of minorities.

“SP government in UP has snatched the rights of religious minorities, particularly Muslims, and merely symbolic observance of Minority Rights Day will do no good to these communities,” she said, noting that the state has witnessed more than 400 incidents of communal violence, including the riots in Muzaffarnagar, during the past five years. “The CM should come out of the clutches of BJP and work for their welfare, which he has not done during his tenure,” she said in a statement here.

Her strong comments came after Samajwadi Party held an event where the chief minister launched schemes for the minority community.

Mayawati said the Akhilesh Yadav government would be remembered in the same way as BJP is remembered for the 1992 Ayodhya demolition and Congress for communal riots in Moradabad, Hashimpura and Bhagalpur. The BSP supremo said it was surprising that whenever SP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, BJP gained strength. “SP government owes an answer to the people on this count,” she said, accusing both parties of complementing and supplementing each other.