By IANS
New Delhi : Claiming that some of her political opponents were trying to “kill” her and the central government was aware of it, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati Monday threatened to review her party’s support to the government unless she was provided elite Special Protection Group (SPG) security cover.
The Uttar Pradesh chief minister said she would review her party’s support to the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) after Jan 15 unless her demand was met.
Mayawati, who had just been on a tour of southern India, alleged: “I have information that a known criminal Atiq Ahmad, (Samajwadi Party MP) who along with his brother was involved in killing my MLA Raju Pal has resolved to kill me and is hiding here in Delhi; and certain Congress leaders are providing him protection.
“The central government knows very well that some of my political opponents are trying to kill me. That is the reason my government asked the central government to give me SPG cover. This looks like a big conspiracy.”
Mayawati said: “If anything happens to me the Congress will be responsible for this and the poor and deprived people will never forgive it. That is why we have to decide whether our 19 MPs continue to support this government.”
Referring to the Taj Corridor corruption case slapped on her by the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, she said: “The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had slapped false cases against me to slow the momentum of BSP’s progress. The Congress government has not yet withdrawn the case even after the Income tax department has given me a clean chit.”
She also blamed the present and previous central governments for the rise in terrorism. Mayawati said: “Everyone knows that terrorists do not come to India with passports and visa, they cross over from our borders which are not fully secure. Therefore it is the responsibility of the armed forces protecting our borders to prevent terrorists from infiltrating into India.”
The BSP chief declared that she is busy expanding her party’s base all over the country and will continue this effort. “We are neither sabotaging the Congress nor helping the BJP, we are here to expand our base among all sections of the society,” she said, referring to the Congress defeat in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh.