In a fresh attack on the Congress party, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has criticised Rahul Gandhi’s recent announcement of a new campaign, the ‘Bharat Dojo Yatra.’ “Dojo” refers to a Japanese martial arts training place, and the move has been viewed with scepticism by some political circles.
On August 29, National Sports Day, Rahul Gandhi revealed that during his ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra,’ he maintained a daily practice routine of jiu-jitsu, a Brazilian self-defence martial art. To mark the occasion, he shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) of himself practising jiu-jitsu with children and other martial artists, captioning it, “Bharat Dojo Yatra is coming soon.”
Mayawati quickly responded to this announcement, launching a scathing critique. “Isn’t ‘Bharat Dojo Yatra’ a mockery of crores of families struggling with poverty, unemployment, inflation, and backwardness and working hard to earn their living?” she questioned, pointing out the ongoing hardships faced by the common people.
Accusing the Congress party of being insensitive to the plight of the poor, Mayawati added, “Why is the opposition party Congress employing a similar anti-people attitude?”
She further accused the party of using the votes of Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and Other Backward Classes (OBC) under the pretence of safeguarding reservations and the Constitution, only to abandon these communities post-elections. “Congress and its INDI Alliance increased their strength by taking votes of SC, ST, and OBC, but is it right to adopt this cruel attitude towards them, forgetting their hunger and agony after election time is over?” Mayawati asked.
Mayawati also voiced her concerns over the “politicisation of sports,” stating, “Politicisation of sports is harmful, it cannot be done anymore.”
This criticism comes in the backdrop of her earlier attacks on Congress, especially after the disappointing performance of the BSP in the recent Lok Sabha elections, where the party failed to win a single seat. In contrast, the Congress and its INDI Alliance partner, the Samajwadi Party (SP), won 43 seats in Uttar Pradesh.
Continuing her critique, Mayawati questioned Congress’s silence over significant issues, such as the Supreme Court’s call for sub-classification within SC and ST quotas and the introduction of a ‘creamy layer’ provision. Referring to a lack of action on these matters, she asked, “But after the caste census, will the Congress be able to ensure the rightful rights of SC, ST, and OBC classes?”
Mayawati also raised questions about Congress’s inaction on past incidents, such as the ‘guest house case’ of June 2, 1995, where she was attacked allegedly by Samajwadi Party workers. “Why did the Congress never question its ally SP about it, and why did the Congress government at the Centre not take the necessary action at the time?” she asked.
Expressing appreciation for the BJP’s support during the incident, she said, “Amid criminal elements of the SP, the BJP and the entire opposition tried to save me, but Congress has troubles with it.”
Mayawati criticised Congress for not honouring Dr. B.R. Ambedkar with the Bharat Ratna. She pointed out that Ambedkar was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna only in 1990 when V.P. Singh was prime minister, with BJP support. She also condemned the Congress and the SP government in Uttar Pradesh for not declaring state mourning on the death of BSP founder Kanshi Ram in 2006.
Reaffirming her stance, Mayawati pledged not to form alliances with the SP and Congress in the future, labelling them as “anti-reservation” parties. Notably, she did not dismiss the possibility of an alliance with the BJP, suggesting a softening towards the party. Her temporary removal of her nephew Akash Anand from his position as BSP successor when he criticised the BJP is seen as a further indication of this shift.
