HVK Archives: 'Tell Mulayam to worry about himself' - Mayawati
'Tell Mulayam to worry about himself' - Mayawati - The Sunday Observer
Sharat Pradhan
()
30 March -
Title : 'Tell Mulayam to worry about himself' - Mayawati
Author : Sharat Pradhan
Publication : The Sunday Observer
Date : March 30 - April 5, 1997
Mayawati was the first ever dalit woman to head a government in any
state of the country. And now she has created history again by
assuming the Uttar Pradesh chief minister's office for the second
time. Significantly, the second time too, it is the Bharatiya
Janata Party which has heralded her elevation to power. The
40-year-old general secretary of the Bahujan Samaj Party, however,
is not in her usual element. Time, and the realisation of ground
realities have perhaps instilled a greater sense of maturity in her
than one expected, the most glaring being her insistence on making
it clear that "Bahujan Samaj Party is not for the dalits alone".
Of course, there is little that she can do to some of her
incorrigible habits, like the administrative reshuffle - within the
first four days of being sworn in as CM, she had shaken over a 100
IAS and IPS officers from their positions.
And interestingly, whatever she does is being attributed by her as
a "necessity" with a view to "toning up the state's law and order",
which, in her own words, topped her priority list.
In an exclusive interview with SHARAT PRADHAN, Mayawati spells out
how, after striking deal with the BJP,. she, was looking forward to
a lasting relationship that might eventually prove to be the most
lethal of all political combines. Excerpts:
What prompted you and your party to ultimately go back to the BJP,
with which your relations had soured to the extent that you were
literally unwilling to see eye to eye?
It was the deteriorating law and order situation in the state that
prompted us to be together again. You see, things have turned so
bad in Uttar Pradesh that there was virtually no rule of law.
Continued President's rule, and particularly the Romesh Bhandari
regime brought the law and order situation to an all time low.
Complete lawlessness prevailed, and naturally, the worst affected
were the poor and downtrodden, whose grievances remained unheard.
But what happened earlier when this very proposal for a coalition
was mooted by the recently slain BJP leader Brahm Dutt Dwivedi?
Wasn't it rejected by Kanshi Ram, your own party chief, who
insisted that he would accept the BJP's support only from outside?
That time we did not have a very clear mind on this. But now we
have decided to agree for a coalition because we realised that
atrocities were being committed not only on members of the BJP but
on dalits too. We therefore felt that our insistence on outside
support might lead to greater problems for both the parties. So we
took the decision.
Wasn't it the increasing influence of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam
Singh Yadav on the governance of UP that prompted you and the BJP
to strike the deal?
Well, there is no denying that President's rule under Romesh
Bhandari was the proxy rule of Mulayam Singh Yadav. Not only we,
but every other party including the Congress talked about it. it
was common knowledge that everything that Bhandari did was in
accordance with Mulayam's wishes.
But don't you agree with the view that your alliance with BJP is an
unnatural one and more of a marriage of convenience, as the BJP is
known essentially as an upper caste party, while your party's
ideology dalit-devoted?
Please do not say that our party talks only of dalits. Our 57 MLAs
here include members from all communities - the upper castes,
backwards and minorities. We believe in 'Sara Samaj', and are
therefore concerned about the well-being of every cross-section of
society.
Yet I would like to point out why we lay greater emphasis on the
plight of dalits. After all, they are the most downtrodden of all
and therefore deserve more attention and sympathy. And that goes
with not only us: even the central government lays greater stress
on them. Every government does that. I think it is natural. Take
the case of a family: if there are four children of which one is
weak, the family is bound to show greater concern for the weaker
one.
One question being only hotly debated in almost all circles - how
long will your alliance with the BJP last, the dominant feeling
being that it will be just as short-lived as it was in the past?
Well, it is going on, and I'm sure it will continue smoothly.
But going by past experience, how can you say this so
affirmatively?
You see, when there is a big family, tensions are bound to crop up
once a while. There may be differences in opinion, but such they
ease away after some time: the family, again, lives together with
love and affection.
Don't you see a subtle difference in this case - while you are
talking of one family, there is the case of two families: the Sangh
Parivar and the Bahujan Parivar - how do you hope to carry on a
smooth marriage of the two?
Because it is in the larger interest of the people of Uttar
Pradesh, who had to be saved from the growing oppression and
harrasment. I see no reason why it will not go on without any
hiccups.
Of late, Mulayam Singh Yadav has been pointing out at the various
public meetings in the state that he is really apprehensive that
Kalyan Singh will never get a chance to play his innings after you
have completed yours in the 6-monthly rotational arrange worked out
between you coalition partners....
Tell him to worry about himself. Today he already stands decimated
in Uttar Pradesh. The day is not far when Mulayam Singh Yadav will
be totally marginalised at the Centre also.
Do you mean to say that your alliance with the BJP has given some
kind of jolt to Mulayam?
It is a jolt not only to Mulayam, but to the entire United Front
and all other parties as well.
How do you feel snapping ties with the Congress, especially since
it was projecting you as the prospective CM with UF support?
Considering that we had our understanding and alliance with the
Congress, it was their duty to stand by their promise. And if they
found an unwilling United Front, they should have withdrawn support
to the UF government at the Centre: but the Congress developed cold
feet and United Front remained bogged down under pressure from
Mulayam who would not agree to my nomination to the CM's office.
Imagine, even Prime Minister Deve Gowda had to express his
helplessness on this issue - he himself said that even though he
wanted to support my candidature, he was not in a position to do so
because of Mulayam. It was clearly evident that both Congress and
United Front were being double-faced, and therefore, there was no
point in continuing ties with them.
Do you mean to say that you consider the BJP more reliable than the
Congress and UF?
Certainly. Congress and United Front never did what they said.
But here the BJP leadership has kept its word.
So unlike most other parties you do not regard BJP as untouchable
either?
We have always fought against untouchability. And in any case,
manyavar Kanshi Ramji has already said that the UF is "feudal", and
therefore it was more dangerous than anybody else.
Is there going to be a lot of difference between your working in
the previous dispensation and now?.
Well, that time I was new to everything and I had to learn a lot of
things, so naturally it took me some time. But this time there is
no difficulty at all, as I am already well-trained. I can assure
you this time that I will accomplish the task of six years in six
months.
But one has not seen you in your earlier elements: except perhaps
in the spate of transfer that you have ordered?
Well, give me eight to ten days and let me settle down. You know
it will naturally take that much time to put things in order as the
Cabinet, by then, would have expanded to a strength of 44 and a new
administrative environment would also be created.
Do you hope to build a new administrative environment by merely
getting back to your old transfer spree? You have already
reshuffled a record number of officers in the four days since
assuming office?
I do not believe in transferring and shifting people just for the
heck of it. I am not a stupid girl. I have shifted officers only
where it was absolutely necessary.
Your necessity depends largely on caste, isn't it?
Certainly not. Caste has not been the consideration in the
transfers ordered by me. I am shifting people solely on merit: it
is the integrity, honesty and performance of the officer that will
determine his posting.
How will you judge the performance of the officers?
Just as I did last time. I first gave the officers one-and-a-half
month's time to work and asked them to submit their respective
progress reports. Then I carried out a review of each of the
departments. Thereafter if they failed to rise upto the
expectations, or were found wanting in their duties, action was
taken against them. Once again, after I have fixed the right
officers in the right places, I will first convene a meeting of IAS
and IPS officers, apprise them of our government's policies and
programmes, and then give them a month's time following which they
will be asked to furnish their progress reports.
Due action will follow on the basis of their performance. Those
putting up a satisfactory performance will be rewarded, while those
not coming upto the mark will be dealt with in the severest of
terms.
You have been talking about dealing firmly with the rampant
corruption in the state, so what do you propose to do with the
"three most corrupt IAS officers" duly identified after a prolonged
process by the UP IAS association?
Well, the IAS association had submitted whatever they had to say in
that connection to the governor. Let them come to me with what
they want, then I will take necessary action.
Back
Top
|
