Baba Ramdev should be jailed: Mayawati on 'anti-Dalit' remarks

Lucknow: Condemning Ramdev's controversial remarks targeting Rahul Gandhi on his visit to Dalit houses, BSP supremo Mayawati threatened to launch a countrywide stir against the yoga guru and the BJP after the polls, if the saffron party did not take action against him.

BJP should take immediate action against him (Ramdev), "otherwise after Lok Sabha elections, BSP would launch a countrywide agitation against this baba, besides BJP and SP," she said on Saturday.

Yoga guru Ramdev was today, meanwhile booked by Uttar Pradesh police for his remarks on the Gandhi scion that has drawn flak from various quarters, with Congress demanding that he give a public apology as he had insulted Dalits.

Ramdev, who has been supporting BJP, yesterday alleged that Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi goes to the houses of Dalits "for honeymoon and picnic".

Mayawati while addressing a rally here said, "The manner in which a big leader and campaigner of BJP Baba Ramdev raised finger on the Dalit women and used indecent language, our party strongly condemn that."

"I demand the Chief Election Commissioner and even SP that a case should be lodged against this yoga leader of BJP under the laws framed to check harassment of women and under the Dalit Act and he must be send to jail, which is his right place," she said.

Scores of Dalits also staged demonstrations on National Highway 1 demanding the Election Commission to ban Yoga guru Ramdev from campaigning for BJP over his alleged "anti-Dalit" remarks.

Addressing the rally, the BSP chief alleged that due to untiring efforts of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Dalits were getting reservation facility in the Central and state government jobs, which other parties were gradually trying to abolish by framing new laws and rules.

She alleged that as a part of "pre-planned conspiracy" without increasing quota, other sections were being added and Dalits were being deprived of their benefits.

She said that similar was the situation of Muslims and other minorities.

The BSP supremo said that after Independence, due to wrong economic and other policies, poverty, unemployment has increased manifold, which has affected the poor and the middle-class the most.

The BSP leader also alleged that during rules of Congress, BJP and other parties crores of rupees in blackmoney deposited in foreign banks could not be brought back, and added Congress was "responsible" for all this upto a large extent.

Mayawati claimed that even many decades after Independence, economic and social situation of 'sarvsamaj', specially those related with Bahujan Samaj, like Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis and other communities has not changed much.

She said that for their upliftment, BSP government at the Centre was necessary.