BSP president Mayawati on Tuesday strongly criticised the increase in inflation, particularly the price hike in petrol products, and said that the Centre should have taxed luxury items instead of increasing prices of products that are used by the common man, including the poor and middle class. She said that the scams in the UPA government had promoted corruption to an unimaginable extent.
“The Centre is also delaying the Food Security Bill and there is no respite for tribals in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh because of which they are taking to Naxal activities,” she pointed out.
On the FDI in retail issue, Ms Mayawati kept her options open when she said that though the BSP did not support it at present, it was prepared to reconsider its decision if the concept helps farmers and small traders.
Ms Mayawati also addressed the participants from Maharashtra and said though their state was the “karambhoomi” of Dr Ambedkar, the BSP did not get good number of votes there.
“I must appeal to government officers that while they cannot be involved in politics, they can help in raising awareness. If we have a government at the Centre, officers from SC/ST and backward classes will be taken care of,” the BSP supremo added.