HVK Archives: "I'll definitely hand over charge to the BJP"
"I'll definitely hand over charge to the BJP" - India Today
Mayawati
()
11 August 1997
Title: "I'll definitely hand over charge to the BJP"
Author: Mayawati
Publication: India Today
Date: August 11, 1997
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has always been known for her
outrageous style of functioning. But the 42-year-old politician's second
coming has been marked by a certain clarity of thought and fierce
determination to achieve a lot in the six months before she hands over the
baton to her coalition partner, the BJP. Through sheer force of
personality, Mayawati has managed to get work done on her terms.
Development has been restricted to the Dalit-dominated villages,
constructions to the Ambedkar parks, but even critics concede that the pace
of work has been unprecedented. In the process, she has consolidated her
base and pushed both the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the BJP on the backfoot.
Principal Correspondents SABA NAQVI BHAUMIK and SUBHASH MISHRA spent a
morning speaking to an unusually relaxed Mayawati at her official residence
on Lucknow's Kalidas Marg. Excerpts:
Q. What do you consider the biggest achievement of your Government?
A. I have got many years of work done in three months. The work done in
the Ambedkar villages is unprecedented. You can see for yourself.
Q. But you've achieved that by striking terror in the bureaucracy.
A. The bureaucrats tremble because they don't perform. In the past nobody
checked their work. Now that I do it they are scared. I knew I had a short
time to implement my work. So every 15 days I demand a report on
development work from the commissioner. I then tell others to verify it.
Or I verify it myself. I don't just issue instructions. I follow up to see
if they have been obeyed. That is the difference.
Q. But all the work has been limited to Ambedkar villages which benefit
only one section of society.
A. Let me ask you a question. A doctor has two patients. One is ill for
five months, the other for decades. Won't he focus on the patient who has
been ill for decades? That is why I focus my attention on one section of
society.
Q. Your ideology appears to be 'We will work only for our people'.
A. I will narrate an incident from Babasaheb Ambedkar's life. Around the
time of Independence, a press reporter went to visit Jinnah at night. He
was sleeping. He went to Gandhi who was also fast asleep. Finally he went
to Dr Ambedkar's house late at night. Babasaheb was awake. The reporter
asked him why he was awake when Gandhi and Jinnah were sleeping. He
replied: 'They are asleep because their people are awakened. But I am awake
because my people are still sleeping.'
Q. But doesn't this approach exclude many castes?
A. Our ideology is opposed to casteism. But caste is a weapon to oppress
our people. If the high castes have any concern for humanity they should
come forward and join our movement. And that is already happening. The
high castes are beginning to join us.
Q. Both Kaylan Singh and Mulayam Singh Yadav have spoken about the Harijan
Act being misused against backwards arid upper castes.
A. I have personally verified reports of misuse in every area. And I have
asked them to show me a single instance of its misuse. I can act only if a
formal complaint is lodged. There are only reports in the media.
Q. During the last election the BSP made an effort to woo the Muslims. You
seem to be ignoring them. There are hardly any Muslims in key posts.
A. I have done more for Muslims than Mulayam Singh Yadav has. The BSP has
12 Muslim MLAs and I think there are two Muslim collectors. The problem is
that the Muslim samaj is very poorly represented in the bureaucracy. That
is why I have given the few Muslims important posts and promoted them to
make up for their poor representation.
Q. Aren't BJP Ministers scared of you? It's said you don't listen to any
of them or give them appointments.
A. Everything is being done in harmony. I have an agreement with the BJP to
hand over the chief ministership in six months and I will do that. I have
good relations with many BJP leaders.
Q. But there is a lot of doubt over whether Kalyan Singh will become CM.
Even some BJP people admit that.
A. No, no, no. There is no question of not handing over. After I hand
over I have to do a lot of work for my party.
Q. Won't the BJP reverse many of your policies?
A. The BSP will also be a part of the coalition. Some of our policies
cannot be reversed.
Q. The BSP is seen to be the gainer in this arrangement. The BJP is having
a tough time explaining many of this Government's actions to its workers.
A. (Smiles) This is one question you had better ask them. I don't want to
speak for the BJP.
Q. Your relations with Governor Romesh Bhandari appears to be worsening.
You have recently transferred his principal secretary and he returned five
ordinances.
A. From my side there is no problem. His principal secretary had written
to us saying he wants a transfer. We only acted on his request. Besides,
only one secretary is sanctioned for the governor but till now he has had
three. As for the ordinances, I don't need to make an issue over them.
I'll simply get them passed by the Assembly.
Q. Why have you been so cautious in issuing statements on the recent
desecration of the statue of Ambedkar in Maharashtra?
A. Dr Ambedkar was insulted in his home state because the Dalit movement in
Maharashtra is divided into separate parties and factions. Let anyone try
to desecrate Dr Ambedkar's statue in Uttar Pradesh. I challenge them.
Nobody will dare do such a thing in this state.
Q. How do all these Ambedkar parks benefit Dalits? Or are you trying to
create a new history for the community by highlighting personalities like
Shahuji Maharaj and now Bijli Pasi arid Lakhan Pasi after whom it is now
claimed that Lucknow is named?
A. The people who wrote our history wiped out all traces of Dalit
rajamaharajas. For a long time now our history has been wiped out. The
social system is such that someone like Bijli Pasi found no mention in our
history books while there is evidence that the Pasis at one time were
ruling this area. So I am not inventing history, I am only highlighting
history that has been consciously suppressed. It is important to highlight
all these personalities to give the suppressed people their heroes. This
is an important part of our movement.
Q. Do yon have any other interests besides politics?
A. I have dedicated my life to social change. Where do I have the time for
anything else? My only hobby is gardening. I have personally created the
garden in the (Kanshi Ram's) Humayun Road residence in Delhi. That garden
shared the first prize along with the L-G's garden. I planted many of the
plants with my own hands.
Q. You don't have a circle of advisors. Few people have access to you.
A. It is only weak people who depend on others. I don't believe in
coteries, hangers-on. If I ever need advice, I will ask my party President
Kanshi Ram. Nobody else.
Q. What do you feel is the difference between your first and second tenures
as chief minister?
A. The first tenure began in the shadow of the guest house incident with
Mulayam's man. It disturbed my peace of mind. This time I am able to
pursue my goals.
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