Mayawati Holds First Big Rally in Lucknow After 9 Years, Targets SP

Lucknow (The Uttam Hindu): Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati addressed a rally at the Kanshiram Memorial in Lucknow on Thursday, marking her first major show of strength in the city after 9 years. During her speech, she criticized the Samajwadi Party (SP), highlighting that the Kasganj district had been renamed “Manyavar Kanshiram Nagar” during BSP rule, but the SP government had reversed the change.

Mayawati also recalled historical injustices, saying, “During the Emergency, the Constitution was trampled, and B.R. Ambedkar was neither allowed into Parliament nor awarded the Bharat Ratna on time. SP has always disrespected Manyavar Kanshiram, and now the Dalit community must remain vigilant.”

However, she praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the BJP government, noting, “We are grateful to the current BJP government because, unlike the SP era, the funds collected at this memorial have not been withheld. During BSP rule, we had built this memorial and introduced a ticket system for its maintenance. The revenue was used for the upkeep of parks and other monuments in Lucknow.”

She added that the restoration work of the Kanshiram Memorial, built during BSP rule, is nearly complete, which has drawn a large number of visitors paying tribute. “This time, you have broken your own records, with millions of people offering homage to Manyavar Kanshiram,” Mayawati said.