Women of the 21st Century: I'm the leader, other women are inheritors: Maya

Tuesday, 22 January , 2008, 14:47

New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP supremo Mayawati has classed herself apart from other women political leaders of the country, saying others have just inherited political power while she has got it through struggle for a change in the society.

In her autobiographical book released on the occasion of her 52nd birthday in New Delhi last week, She said she had set a "rare example in such a young age" of taking upon herself the burden of "the Himalayan task of bringing about a social change to ensure equality and dignity to the down trodden." The BSP chief, in the opening chapter of the book Mere Sangharsgmai Jeevan Aur BSP Movement Ka Safarnama (The Story of My Struggle in Life and Of the BSP Movement) talks in detail about the significance of the 'Mayawati phenomenon' in the 21st century India and the attack by all political forces to contain her.

There are several women who were playing political and social role in this country, but, says Mayawati, "it should be kept in mind that a woman who was just running government by inheriting political power was different from a woman who, like a crusader, was working for the great aim of bringing about revolutionary social changes in the society."

"If you think with a neutral and dispassionate state of mind, you will realise the truth of what I am saying," she adds.

Quoting British Prime Minister Winston Churchill that "History will judge us kindly� because I shall write the history," Mayawati said though she cannot claim to write the history, she has the passion and the courage to turn the course of politics of her country.

She also expresses her gratitude to news magazine Newsweek for "shaking people of her country into recognising her worth" by listing her among the eight most powerful women in the world.

"There are people who keep their eyes shut towards the ground reality and do not change their views with changing time. It is a bitter truth that the role I played in the Dalit movement and the sacrifices I made in the process of their empowerment were neglected in my own country until a foreign news magazine highlighted them," she said.

Mayawati frequently attacked the Congress, the BJP and Samajwadi Party in the book, saying that all these parties were status quoist and left no stone unturned to finish her politically and harm the Dalit movement.

About alliances with the Samajwadi Party and the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, she said she did it out of tactical reasons to speed up the Dalits' march to power in the State.

She, however, says that despite aligning with the BJP, she never let that party affect her programmes and policies. "Maine kabhi bhi Bhajapa walon ko apni neeti aur siddhant par haavi nahin hone diya, balki har prakar se unko jooti ki noke par rakkha (I never let the BJP people dominate my programme and policies, rather I kept them in their place)." The BSP supremo also attacks ''those parties which exploited the name of Dr Ambedkar while playing lackeys to the Congress.

She notes with glee the success of the 'social engineering' in the last Uttar Pradesh Assembly election in which she was able to "carry the high caste people too with her and set on a course of Sarvjan jan hitay, Sarvjan Sukhai." Mayawati also talks about the mental and social trauma she underwent during the illness of BSP founder leader Kanshiram. She says her rivals did everything to create a divide between his family members and her, but ultimately she came out of this situation as truth was on her side.

The book is the third and closing volume of the series. The earlier two volumes were released on her 50th birthday.

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