Mayawati says Centre anti-Dalit, PM Modi's tears for Rohit Vemula fake

Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) leader and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati on Thursday described the NDA regime at the Centre as being anti-Dalit, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's emotional reaction to Rohita Vemula's suicide as fake and politics driven. "Most of the ministers of the present Modi government are anti-Dalit and have been spewing venom against them. It is only after the current regime took over, the incidents of harassment on Dalits and Muslims have increased," Mayawati told media here.

She further accused the BJP leaders of giving out objectionable remarks against Dalits. "Like the Congress, the BJP too shows an anti-Dalit mentality. Union Minister VK Singh made a highly objectionable comment against Dalits and the Central Govt has taken no action against him," the BSP supremo said. "Prime Minister Modi coming to Lucknow and getting emotional on Rohith Vemula's suicide is totally driven by politics. On one hand, Modi ji talks about BR Ambedkar, and on the other, Dalit students are being insulted," she added.

She further supported the minority status of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Jamia Milia. "The move to strip universities of minority status is an effort to make minorities orphans. It is being made an issue for 2017 Uttar Pradesh polls," she added.