By Faisal Fareed, TwoCircles.net
Call it political compulsion or protocol: while former Chief Minister Mayawati invoked Dr Ambedkar on his 61st death anniversary at a memorial constructed during her regime, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav completed the formality of attending a similar function in front of Vidhan Sabha but did not address the audience.
CM Akhilesh paying tributes to Dr Ambedkar in Lucknow
Firstly the scene at Ambedkar Smarak in Lucknow was bustling with crowd as BSP has organized a function to pay tributes to Dr Ambedkar. Its workers from Lucknow division and Barabanki districts attended the function. BSP has scrapped the idea of holding a big rally to avoid mishap as had been the case on previous occasion claiming several lives.
On her target was Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati did not refrain from addressing her as ‘Babua’. She said that the progress made by Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam and his ‘Babua’ is due to Dr Ambedkar. Referring to comments of Akhilesh, she stated that he is really a ‘babua’ as he states in his speeches that elephant statues in these memorials have not moved an inch. “Just tell him that statues installed in Janeshwar Mishra Park are also standing at same place. Only a ‘babua’ can make such comment,” she said. She however claimed that such statements are giving free publicity to her election symbol ‘Elephant’. She also claimed that Yadav family for their recreation organizes festivals in Saifai.
BSP president Mayawati addressing party workers on Dr Ambedkar anniversary at Lucknow.
Mayawati also blasted Congress for not giving Bharat Ratna to Dr Ambedkar. She also targeted PM Narendra Modi stating that he was exploiting Dalits for the benefit of upper class. He warned her workers to remain cautious of BJP-RSS. She blamed BJP for not implementing reservation in private sector.
Nearly two kilometers away, CM Akhilesh Yadav also reached in a similar function organized by Ambedkar Mahasabha. He garlanded the statue of Dr Ambedkar and paid tributes to the mortal remains of Dr Ambedkar. After few minutes he left the venue without addressing the audience.
The SP government after assuming power cancelled the holiday on December 6, but with elections approaching however the holiday has been reinstated.