Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav announced a state-wide 'jail bharo' agitation on Wednesday against Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh and asked the Centre to "mend" its policies, but was silent on the issue of withdrawing support from the Congress-led UPA. "The 'jail bharo' agitation will not be symbolic. You all will have to go to jail...I will court arrest in Lucknow," Yadav said at the inaugural session of the party's Special National Conference in Agra.
The date of the agitation against the Uttar Pradesh government for its "all round failure" will be announced shortly, he said. The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister attacked the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre on issues including rising prices, suicides by farmers and the foreign policy. "The Prime Minister had assured people that prices of essential commodities will be brought down in the first 100 days of the new government. Why does he have to make a promise which he cannot fulfil?" he said.
Yadav, however, made no reference to the issue of SP withdrawing support from the UPA government. Sources said though the matter came up before the National Executive of the party last night, no decision was taken. The issue may come up during the 'open discussion' at the three-day conference, they said.
Yadav said despite the loan waiver announced by the Centre, farmers have continued to commit suicide. "This is because the loan waiver is only on papers. Farmers have also taken loans from private lenders and they continue to suffer,"he said.
The SP leader suggested the UPA government to "mend its policies on economic issues and foreign policy. If they do so, it will only help them". The political and economic resolution cleared by the National Executive has accused Congress of adopting double standards while dealing with the Bahujan Samaj Party."The SP feels that Congress adopts double standards while dealing with BSP. The SP understands the unholy alliance between BSP and Congress and realises that Congress cannot fight a decisive fight against BSP," he said.
The party wondered why Congress President Sonia Gandhi had to apologise for the alleged derogatory comments made by UP Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi against Chief Minister Mayawati."Her (Joshi's) house was torched and she was jailed for the comments. Even then, the Congress chief had to apologise," Yadav said in a veiled reference to the soft stand of Congress towards the BSP.
The resolution "noted with regret" that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh "succumbed" to the US pressure on climate change.
