Obama concerned over communal and divisive policy of NDA: Mayawati

Lucknow: The “communal and divisive policy” of the BJP-led NDA government has evoked concerns from several countries so much so that US President Barack Obama had to caution India against religious divide, BSP supremo Mayawati said on Wednesday.

“BJP’s communal and divisive face and character has not changed even after it came to power at the Centre…This was earlier a matter of concern for countrymen and now most of the countries also appear to be worried about it,” she said in a statement here.

Her comments came against the backdrop of Obama cautioning India against religious divide while addressing a gathering in the capital on the last day of his three-day India visit.

The US President had made a strong pitch for religious tolerance, cautioning that “India will succeed so long as it was not splintered along the lines of religious faith”.

Mayawati said, “The US President left with much fanfare yesterday and as a parting shot gave a stinging caution to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India should steer clear of religious extremism.”

“It is also a matter of debate whether this statement of the US President is an interference in the internal matter of the country or whether it is praiseworthy,” she said, adding secularism and religious independence of the country has suffered because of a number of incidents which have taken place during the eight months of this government.

“When and how BJP and this government will be able to win back the confidence of the world and the country and carry all sections of the society along in making India successful as per the spirit of the Constitution will have to be seen,” she said.

On whether the country will benefit from Obama’s visit, she said it will be clear only when parliaments of both the countries succeed in enacting laws facilitating the announcements made.

Citing the example of 2008 India-US nuclear agreement, she said it could not be implemented although the then UPA government had put everything at stake for it and now after seven years the Modi-led NDA government has also made a U-turn on the issue by supporting the deal.

Accusing BJP leaders of trying to take electoral advantage of Obama’s visit in the Delhi Assembly polls, she said it is a wrong move and cautioned people against it.

PTI