Mainpuri: BSP govt didn’t need bulldozers to maintain law, order in UP says Mayawati

Mainpuri : Taking a dig at her political opponents over law and order in Uttar Pradesh, BSP supremo Mayawati Thursday claimed she did not require a bulldozer like the present BJP government to maintain rule of law in the state when she was in power.

“When the BSP was in power in Uttar Pradesh, we did not allow Hindu-Muslim riots to take place. Respect was given to all religious groups, their lives, properties and religious beliefs. “Have you heard of riots taking place during my governments in Uttar Pradesh.

Whichever party was in power here, be it the Samajwadi Party, the Congress or the present BJP, riots have taken place,” the BSP president said, addressing an election rally at the Christian College ground here.

Mayawati also said the BSP might spring a surprise to those who are alleging that the party has fielded candidates only to help others win or lose in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Speaking on the law and order issue, she said, “Earlier during the festival time, be it of Hindus or Muslims, incidents used to take place, but not during my government.”

Mayawati also recalled how there was absolute peace in UP when the Ayodhya verdict was delivered by the high court during her government. “Schools, colleges and offices were closed throughout the country barring UP and not even a small incident took place. We ensured the safety and security of the people belonging to all religions and castes as well as the safety of the lives and properties of all,” she said.

The Allahabad High Court verdict was pronounced on September 30, 2010 when Mayawati was the chief minister of the state.

“Whenever there were festivals, some incident used to take place but you have seen the law and order during my tenure. There was a rule of law for which we did not require bulldozers like the present BJP government. We had established the rule of law through legal means,” she added. The Yogi Adityanath government has faced flak for the use of bulldozers to raze the houses of the “criminals” in the state.

Referring to the three candidates of her party in Mainpuri, Etah and Firozabad, she said they have been fielded “not to help anyone win or lose but to win themselves with record votes”.