Congress, BJP have made Constitution casteist, communal, capitalist: Mayawati

LUCKNOW: BSP president Mayawati on Tuesday said BJP and Congress govts have made the Constitution “casteist, communal and capitalist” through various amendments.

Both parties show copies of the Constitution inside and outside Parliament but are two sides of the same coin (ek hi thali ke chatte-batte) and try to divert public attention from issues like unemployment and poverty, she told news agencies in Lucknow.

“They are trying to play with the Constitution of the country for their own political interests,” she added.

Maywati urged SCs, STs and OBCs to unite under the BSP banner to stop BJP and Congress from making any further changes in the Constitution.

BSP chief said BJP and Congress have made so many amendments in the Constitution that it no longer remains the one drafted by BR Ambedkar which laid down egalitarian and secular features along with the welfare of ‘bahujan’ samaj (SCs, STs, OBCs and religious minorities).

She said Congress and BJP had stalled implementation of Mandal Commission’s recommendations. “When the VP Singh govt implemented it, Congress and BJP opposed it tooth and nail,” she pointed out.

BSP chief accused Samajwadi Party govt of abolishing reservation in promotions for SC/STs when it was in office in UP.

Citing another incident, she said: “When BSP brought an amendment bill on reservation in promotions for SC/STs in Parliament to make the provision more effective, Congress was in office. Both Congress and BJP had pushed the Samajwadi Party to oppose the bill. SP MPs had torn the bill in the House. It is still pending.”

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