Mayawati Reciprocates Mamata Banerjee's Support, Slams Modi Govt's Double Standards

Lucknow: A few days after West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee came out in support of Maywati, the BSP supremo has reciprocated.

In a statement released on Wednesday, she expressed solidarity with Banerjee and slammed the central government for adopting double standards with state governments on the basis of whether they are led by the BJP or its rival parties.

Referring to the recent episodes of violence in Bihar and Bengal, she said that the central government has asked details of violence in the former but has not asked for any details from Bihar government as they have are also a part of the coalition there.

"Mamata Banerjee stands correct in taking strict action against those instigating riots but the central government is raising questions about it. This is shocking and sad. But in a similar case in Bihar, the government there is out to save the son of a union minister," Mayawati said.

She was hinting towards Arjit Shashwat, son of Union minister of state Ashwini Kumar Choubey, who was recently booked for allegedly inciting communal passion by taking out an unauthourised procession in Bhagalpur town.

She recalled that communal riots had taken place in Kasganj area of Uttar Pradesh when a 'tiranga yatra' was taken out allegedly "without permission".

"It seems the BJP has made it a fashion to take out yatras and display firearms and this needs to be strictly dealt with. This can happen only when the central government works in a just and unbiased manner which has not been seen so far," Mayawati said.

Mayawati's support for Mamata comes just a couple of days after the West Bengal CM had thanked her for taking on the BJP and amid talks of regional parties joining hands to form a federal front for the 2019 general elections.

After Mayawati had asserted that her party's understanding with the Samajwadi Party (SP) would not be affected by the defeat in the Rajya Sabha polls and that she would not allow the BJP's "design" to create a rift between the two parties to succeed, Banerjee had tweeted that she was strongly with her.

Banerjee has already spoken with NCP chief Sharad Pawar, DMK leader MK Stalin, Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackaray and TRS chief and Telengana chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao to build a united opposition.