Lucknow: In a fresh attack on the Congress party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has strongly criticized Rahul Gandhi’s newly announced campaign, the 'Bharat Dojo Yatra.' The term "Dojo," referring to a Japanese martial arts training place, has been met with skepticism in political circles.
On August 29, National Sports Day, Rahul Gandhi unveiled his new campaign during the ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra,’ showcasing his daily jiu-jitsu practice— a Brazilian martial art— through a video on X (formerly Twitter). He described this as part of the upcoming 'Bharat Dojo Yatra,' which he suggested would be a new initiative. Mayawati swiftly condemned this announcement, questioning the timing and relevance of such a campaign given the ongoing issues faced by millions of families struggling with poverty, unemployment, and inflation. “Isn’t ‘Bharat Dojo Yatra’ a mockery of the struggles of crores of families working hard to make ends meet?” she asked, accusing the Congress of being out of touch with the realities of the common people.
She further criticized the Congress for what she described as an insensitivity towards Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC). “The Congress party has exploited the votes of SC, ST, and OBC communities under the guise of protecting their rights and reservations, only to neglect them once elections are over,” Mayawati charged. Mayawati also expressed concern over what she termed the “politicisation of sports,” asserting that such actions are harmful and unacceptable. Her criticism is set against the backdrop of the BSP's poor performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where the party failed to secure any seats, unlike Congress and its ally, the Samajwadi Party (SP), which won 43 seats in Uttar Pradesh.
Continuing her critique, Mayawati questioned Congress’s silence on critical issues such as the Supreme Court’s call for sub-classification within SC and ST quotas and the introduction of a ‘creamy layer’ provision. “After the caste census, will the Congress be able to ensure the rightful rights of SC, ST, and OBC classes?” she queried. She also recalled past grievances, including the alleged attack by Samajwadi Party workers during the 'guest house case' in June 1995, and accused Congress of failing to hold its ally accountable or take necessary actions. Mayawati praised the BJP for its support during that time, contrasting it with Congress’s approach.
Additionally, she criticized Congress for not honoring Dr. B.R. Ambedkar with the Bharat Ratna sooner, noting that it was only awarded posthumously in 1990 with BJP support. She also condemned both Congress and the SP government for not declaring state mourning on the death of BSP founder Kanshi Ram in 2006. Reaffirming her stance, Mayawati announced that she would not form future alliances with Congress or SP, labeling them as “anti-reservation” parties. However, she left open the possibility of an alliance with the BJP, suggesting a potential shift in her political strategy.
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