BJP HAS INSULTED PERIYAR AND AMBEDKAR

Dr. Udit Raj, National President, Indian Justice Party, said in a statement today that UP Chief Minister Mayawati had branded all opposition parties as anti-Dalits yesterday. We demand from her as to why no action was taken till 14.4.2008 against the BJP workers who had defaced and blackened the photographs of Periyar and Dr. Ambedkar in the hoardings displayed near the IJP office, threw stones and spat at these photographs on 13.4.2008. On 14.4.2008 in the afternoon, IJP workers had assembled at Hazratganj to celebrate the 117th birth anniversary of Dr. Ambedkar and were condemning the disrespect shown to Ramaswami Periyar. At about 2 PM, hundreds of IJP workers had assembled at Darul Shafa for holding a Dharna and discuss the issue relating to the disrespect shown to Periyar when they were stopped by the police, a scuffle took place between the workers and the police followed by beating. Dr. Udit Raj said that after this incident, hundreds of IJP workers were arrested and kept in the Lucknow Police Lines. After detaining the workers for about seven hours, the Police started asking them to go out one by one. Just when the workers were coming out of the Police Lines, each one of them was mercilessly beaten. Eleven senior leaders, Sarvshri Udit Raj, former Minister R.D. Gautam, Mahender Saroj, Vikas Yadav, Indresh Sonkar, Chaudhri Kishen Lal, Bhola Sonkar, Om Prakash Bharti, Durga Prasad, Pravesh Singh Yadav while being released after a short period were severely beaten because of which they were seriously injured. Afterwards, the injured were given first aid treatment at the Civil Hospital and a written report was lodged with the Senior Superintendent of Police, Lucknow.

Dr. Udit Raj said that if BJP has the right to worship or show respect to Lord Rama, then IJP has also got every right to honour and respect leaders and social reformers of their choice. He said that if Tamil Nadu professes the ideals of Periyar Ji, then are they doing something against the Indian Constitution for which BJP is protesting? BJP should come forward and tell the people as to how it violates the Indian Constituion or any other law of the land. Is the BJP not working for the disunity of the country by doing this activity?

Yesterday Mayawati branded all the political parties as anti-dalits. There cannot be a bigger proof of the fact that her own attitude is most anti-dalit. Veru rarely, police indulges in such brutal beatings. Yesterday's brutal beatings were carried out clearly on the instructions of Mayawati with a view to brow-beat the IJP leaders so that they may not work independently. Mayawati Ji is scared that Indian Justice Party is emerging as a alternative to her. Dr. Udit Raj urged the National Commission for Scheduled Castess and National Human Rights Commission to provide security to him and hold an independent into these brutual killings and punish the guilty.

The security guard provided to Dr. Udit Raj by the Lucknow Police authorities, had left his duty by afternoon on the instructions of Mayawati. Under these circumstances, he urges upon all the parties and the Central Government that he may be provided Z+ security immediately. In these circumstances, either he will have to stop his activities in Uttar Pradesh or else he may be killed while doing the party work. Dr. Udit Raj that yesterday's ghastly incident was something very rare. The district administration, on the instructions of the Superintendent of Police (East), forcibly took away two vehicles of the Indian Justice Party, one Innova and one Scorpio and loudspeakers, tents,etc. installed in the pandal at Hazrat Ganj. It is worth mentioning here that the Indian Justice Party had sought permission from the district administration for holding a rally for exposting the misdeeds of the Maywati Government but this permission was not granted. Throughout the day, the way in which the workers of the Indian Justice Party and the All India Confederation of SC/ST Organizations were treated gave the impression that they were being systematically harassed. The mobiles, money bags and other belongings of the leaders and workers who were arrested were forcibly snatched.