Maya denies BSP hand in strife; Didi, RJD support Dalits

LUCKNOW/KOLKATA/PATNA : Even as BSP chief Mayawati on Monday came out in support of protests against the dilution of the SC/ST Act by the Supreme Court, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav and former chief minister and HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi  participated in protests on the streets of Patna, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed shock over the deaths of eight people in the violence and expressed solidarity with Dalits of the country.
“We are shocked and pained that some of my Dalit brothers and sisters have been killed and injured. We support their cause. I appeal for peace,” she tweeted.

BSP supremo Mayawati on Monday condemned large-scale violence, which had gripped the districts of western UP, in the name of demonstrations. She claimed that some mischievous elements had sneaked in among the protestors and indulged in violence.“This must be stopped at any cost. Such people should be identified and punished by the police administration,” said Mayawati while issuing a statement over the Bharat bandh.“I support the protest against the SC/ST Act. I have got to know that some people are spreading violence during the protests, I strongly condemn it. Our party is not behind the violence during the protests,” she said.

Calling the BJP-led Central and state government anti-Dalit, the BSP supremo accused the union government of delaying the review petition against the SC ruling in the SC/ST Act. “If they had taken up the issue forcefully with due sincerity in time, this bandh would not have happened,” said Mayawati. 
She added that Dalits and weaker sections of society were not getting their Constitutional rights which were ensured by Dr BR Ambedkar.

Charging the BJP with adopting a casteist approach in governance, Mayawati vowed to continue her struggle for the cause of Dalits. “What if I am not in Parliament, I will continue our fight outside the Parliament and bring the Central government on its knees over the issues plaguing the Dalit community.”
“Dalits today are groping in the darkness. They are being deprived of promotions in jobs as the BJP government is denying them their due,” she asserted.

Meanwhile in Bihar, Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav and Jitan Ram Manjhi attacked BJP and JD(U) for weakening the constitutional protection guaranteed to the Dalits. The pre-lunch proceedings of Bihar Assembly were disrupted by MLAs of the ruling and Opposition parties on the issue.Dalit MLAs from both ruling and Opposition parties then formed a human chain holding one another’s hands on the Assembly proceedings and demanded to restore all the rights so far granted to these disadvantaged communities.