BSP supremo Mayawati.
Credit: PTI File Photo
New Delhi: The Congress on Thursday hit back at BSP supremo Mayawati for her attack on Rahul Gandhi, saying she has taken a "contract" to support the RSS and the BJP and it is, therefore, necessary to finish her off politically.
Unorganised Workers & Employees Congress Chairman Udit Raj alleged that whenever Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi attacks the RSS and the BJP, Mayawati feels the pain.
His remarks came a day after the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president alleged that Gandhi was making misleading statements about reservation and said his own party did not let the Bill on SC/ST reservation in promotions pass during its 10-year rule at the Centre.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also claimed that when not in power, the Congress talks about the "neglected" classes of SC, ST and OBC but when in power, it works "against" their interests.
Hitting back at Mayawati, Raj alleged that the BJP is against reservation, while Gandhi wants to strengthen it.
"As the BJP is unable to defend itself, it has hired Mayawati for its defence...When Rahul Gandhi attacks the RSS and the BJP, Mayawati feels the pain," the prominent Dalit face of the Congress said at a press conference at the AICC headquarters here.
''It is necessary to finish her off (politically) because she has taken 'supari' (contract) to support the RSS and the BJP. The Congress always looked at her with sympathy, otherwise the BSP would not have survived for so long," Raj said.
He alleged that the BSP had not done any work in the field of health, reservation, employment and land despite Mayawati becoming the chief minister four times.
"Nobody can do as much for Babasaheb Ambedkar as the Congress has done. It was the Congress that brought Babasaheb Ambedkar to the Constituent Assembly. When Ambedkar ji became the head of the Constitution Drafting Committee...Then the Congress party also made him the Law Minister," Raj said.
''On May 20, 2007, Mayawati ji issued a government order. It said that there will be a change in the law of SC-ST Prevention of Atrocities Act-1989 and it will be applicable only in cases of murder and rape. Action will be taken under ordinary law in other crimes. But when we fought, the Supreme Court made a strong comment and the law was restored," he said.