‘Centre, state govt should check post-poll violence in West Bengal’

Lucknow: BSP national president Mayawati on Monday said that the govts at the Centre and in the state should be vigilant against post-poll violence in West Bengal.

Mayawati said that the govts should follow the directives of the high court and act strictly against anarchy to avoid being accused of narrow-minded politics, religious discrimination, caste-based hatred and partisanship. “Post-poll violence should be a matter of great concern (for the govts),” she said.

Mayawati said the dignity of laws and the Constitution should be upheld and they should be enforced without any malice or bias based on caste and religion.

“If our country stands out globally for its humanitarian identity, it is because of the Constitution drafted by Babasaheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, which is entirely based on the principle of secularism, ensuring equal respect to people of all religions and faiths,” she said, adding that the ethos of India was also rooted in high human values, which call to ensure, to followers of all faiths, freedom and security for their lives, property and religion.

She said that the Constitution was the “security shield” that enabled India to counter anti-national propaganda in foreign countries. It was the responsibility of the central and state govts to ensure that there were no unpleasant questions put to the country on this count, the BSP chief said.

Mayawati also urged the govts to focus on “issues that matter or which are special”, more so at a time when the country’s social, economic and political conditions have become difficult and the glaring problems have become painful for people.

“The govts should not try to divert public attention from these issues because that would not solve the problems; rather, it would make the crisis worse, and it would not at all be in the interest of the country,” she said.