BJP-RSS behind 'Bharat Bandh' against SC/ST Act: Mayawati
Lucknow, Sep 7 : Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Friday alleged that the 'Bharat Bandh' organized against the amendment to the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, was in fact "a conspiracy of the BJP" and an "event orchestrated by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh".
In a statement, the Dalit leader said a conspiracy was being hatched by the ruling party to divert the attention of the people from various burning issues like the fuel price rise and the falling value of the Indian Rupee against the US dollar.
She added that the country was already suffering the consequences of the wrong economic policies of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA government and alleged that the same forces were now trying to play "dirty politics" on the issue.
Defending the amendment to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, the four-time Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister further said that it all depended on the mentality of the government on whether the Act was misused or not.
She cited the example of her four governments in Uttar Pradesh and underlined how she ensured that the Act was not abused to harass anyone or any caste.
The people, she added, were more hassled by rising fuel prices, the dropping Indian Rupee than such issues which were nothing more than a ploy to deflect people's minds from such issues and the failure of GST and demonetization.
These issues, she added, had triggered unrest among the people and erosion of BJP's voter base across the country.
Mayawati also sounded a word of caution for the OBCs saying that the BJP and RSS opposed reservation to them in government jobs in 1990 and were now trying to hoodwink them by making tall promises and positioning them as champions.
"The BJP is trying to foment trouble by inciting casteism and violence," the BSP chief said. "I am warning the people to be very cautious of such divisive plans and casteist politics and urge them not to fall prey to it."
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BJP councillor dies by suicide after being threatened by youths following party's bypoll win
Agartala (PTI): A BJP councillor of Dharmanagar Municipal Council (DMC) in North Tripura died by suicide on Tuesday after he was allegedly threatened and humiliated by a group of youth following the saffron party's victory in the Dharmanagar bypoll, police said.
Rahul Kishore Roy, who was also the BJP's Yuva Morcha mandal president, took the extreme step a day after BJP candidate Jahar Chakraborti won the bypoll for the Dharmagar Assembly constituency by a massive margin.
Chief Minister Manik Saha expressed shock over the youth leader's death and assured an impartial inquiry into the allegations brought by the deceased’s wife, Ananya Bhattacharjee.
"I am shocked by the untimely death of Rahul Kishore Roy. May his soul rest in peace, and also offer my sympathy to the bereaved family. I also assured that an impartial inquiry will be conducted following the complaint of the deceased's wife", the CM wrote on Facebook.
Roy's wife has lodged a complaint with the local police station, holding seven persons responsible for her husband's death.
"Soon after the announcement of the results of the bypoll to the Dharmagnar Assembly bypoll, six to seven youths attacked our residence at Chandrapur at 3 pm and started hurling abuses at my husband. They also assaulted me to hand over my husband to them," she stated in the complaint.
Ananya said, "The same gang returned late at night again, attacked our house and hurled two or three bombs. They also threatened to eliminate my husband whenever he is found at Dharmanagar."
Deeply upset by the attacks and threats, my husband committed suicide by hanging from the ceiling early Tuesday morning. I urge the Officer in Charge (OC), Dharmanagar police station, to investigate against these people for justice, she said.
"Based on a specific complaint, we have registered a case, and an investigation is underway. No one has been arrested yet," SP, North Tripura, Avinash Kumar Rai said.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the state’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416.)
