Mayawati hits out at SP govt's smartphone scheme

LUCKNOW: Dubbing as an "eyewash" the ambitious smartphone scheme of the Uttar Pradesh government, BSP supremo Mayawati today asked what people would do with phones when the government was not able to extend security to their religion and life and said the parties making mere promises on election eve will be taught a lesson. "After having failed at all fronts and patroning the corrupt, the Samajwadi Party government is now hoodwinking people in the name of smartphones," Mayawati said in a statement. "The 20 crore people of the state are being shown big dreams by the SP government as was done by BJP and its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi before 2014 Lok Sabha elections but they failed to fulfil them...Now people have decided to teach a lesson to these parties," she said. "Instead of making tall promises and laying foundation stones at election time, the SP government should wait for the next elections," she said, adding, people already have smartphones as per their needs and pockets. "What will people do with the smartphones given by the government which is not able to extend security to their religion, life and property," she asked. She claimed that now the sole aim of people is to wipe out the government of "jungleraj". Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today launched the portal of Samajwadi Smartphone Scheme under which smartphones will be distributed to people in the state. Attacking Yadav for extending ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to those who lost their lives in a stampede after the BSP 'maharally' yesterday, Mayawati said more than government aid, the self respecting BSP workers wanted justice. Accusing the police and administration of mismanagement which led to the stampede, she demanded stern action against all the officials found to be lax in discharge of their duties. The BSP supremo also questioned "Samajwadi justice" under which, she alleged, government aid is distributed in every incident of riot, accident and crime, shielding those responsible for the incident. She claimed that the SP government feels that giving aid can suffice for justice.