Mayawati pays tributes to Ravidas on his birth anniversary

BSP president Mayawati on Saturday paid tributes to saint-poet Ravidas on his birth anniversary and asked the BJP-led central and state governments to follow the path shown by him in serving the society and country.In tweets in Hindi, the BSP president recalled the works done by the governments led by her to realise the dreams of Ravidas.Under the BSP governments formed in the state four times, a lot of effort was made to realise the dreams of Santguru Ravidasji, and the work done in public interest and public welfare in his honour is not hidden from anyone.

BSP president Mayawati on Saturday paid tributes to saint-poet Ravidas on his birth anniversary and asked the BJP-led central and state governments to follow the path shown by him in serving the society and country.

In tweets in Hindi, the BSP president recalled the works done by the governments led by her to realise the dreams of Ravidas.

''Under the BSP governments formed in the state four times, a lot of effort was made to realise the dreams of Santguru Ravidasji, and the work done in public interest and public welfare in his honour is not hidden from anyone. It will be appropriate if the central and state governments do good for the society and country by following the path shown by him,'' she said.

In a press release issued later, the BSP president said that the message given by Ravidas was not for fulfilling political motives but for serving the society, which has been completely forgotten in the present times, leading to tension and violence.

Recalling the works done in his honour, she said that her government had named Bhadohi district after him but it was changed by the previous Samajwadi Party government due to ''casteist mentality''. She promised that once her party comes to power, Bhadohi will be renamed as Sant Ravidas Nagar.

Noting that governments led by other political parties, including the Congress and BJP, had always neglected saints and great men born in Dalit, Adivasi and OBC sections of the society, she said that instead of giving them respect, they had shown contempt for such great men.

She said that now the members of these sections of society are becoming aware under the leadership of BSP. ''People belonging to BJP, Congress and other parties are being seen doing all kind of drama by visiting places connected with these great men for the selfish motive of votebank politics,'' she said, warning people not to fall for such designs.

On the present state of affairs, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said crores of people reeling under the pressure of coronavirus pandemic, poverty and unemployment urgently need government's help and cooperation.

''Therefore, it is the prime duty of the central and state governments to promptly extend relief to the people by controlling the prices of petrol, diesel, LPG cylinders and other items of basic need. The BSP hopes that these governments will understand their democratic and constitutional responsibilities and initiate necessary steps to reduce the problems instead of resorting to different excuses,'' Mayawati said.

This, she said, would be the real tribute to Ravidas.

Earlier in the morning, she had also tweeted ''On the birth anniversary of the great saint Guru Ravidasji, who gave the immortal message of 'mann changa to kathauti mein Ganga', best wishes to the millions of followers in the country and world. Satguru spent his entire life in an attempt to turn man into a human being,'' she added.