Mayawati (File)
Alleging that processions and armed protests without government approval were “in fashion” among BJP leaders, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday accused the central government of sheltering and encouraging them.
In her statement, Mayawati accused the BJP of “double standards” in dealing with similar situations in states where it was in power and in states where it was not. She was referring to the action taken by the Mamata Banerjee-led government in West Bengal against armed rallies during Ram Navami. West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh and state BJP Mahila Morcha chief Locket Chatterjee were booked for it. In Bihar, a case was lodged against Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Ashwani Choubey’s son in connection with communal clashes during a procession in Bhagalpur district on Friday.
“The conspiracy of the central government is to bring the Bengal government to the witness box for taking such legal action is condemnable. While in Bihar, the respective state government is trying to save the BJP Union minister’s son… trying to save him from arrest in a similar case. And not just that, the BJP central government is trying to cover it up. Why does the central government have such double standards in the matter of law-and-order, peace and harmony,” Mayawati stated.
“The double standards are because while in Bihar it’s their coalition government, in West Bengal the Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress is in power,” Mayawati said. She also noticed a “pattern” in Uttar Pradesh. “A similar case was seen in Kasganj where a Tiranga Yatra was taken out without any legal permission… No matter whose government is in power, no one should be given permission to play with law and order. However, taking out illegal armed processions by BJP every now and then has become a fashion. There is a need to deal with this strictly,” she said.
Mamata Banerjee responded on Twitter: “Thank you Mayawati Ji for your comments about Bengal. You have exposed the BJP govt. BJP govt is scared as we are all working together.”