Wednesday, October 5 2005 20:32 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bangalore: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayavati today (Oct 5, 2005) accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre of privatizing Public Sector Undertakings with the sole aim of depriving the reservation benefits to Dalits and OBCs.

Addressing a well-attended 'Reservation maha rally', Mayavati, seeking to establish her party's base in Karnataka, called upon Dalits and Backward Castes to extend their 'overwhelming' support to BSP and strengthen her hands in the crusade against social injustice meted out to the oppressed classes by "Manuvavdi parties and their Governments.'

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister hit out at the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whom she charged with having a 'castiest mindset' and depriving the benefits of reservations to Dalits and OBCs.

Reminding the gathering, which heard her, braving incessant rains, that political power was the master key for achieving social justice and equality to Dalits and OBCs, Mayawati asked them to think above 'roti and makaan' and come together under the banner of BSP.

Even the Mandal Commission recommendations were not implemented in toto and lakhs of backlog vacancies that could have gone to Dalits and OBCs across the country have remained unfilled so far, she said.

Mayawati said she had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, demanding filling up the backlog of vacancies and reservation in the private sector to Dalits and OBCs.