Agra, April 15 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati Tuesday said the Congress party had done nothing for Dalits and her party was the true well-wisher of Dalits and custodian of their rights. Addressing a big public meeting at the Bhim Nagri in Kotla Bagichi of Agra, Mayawati also announced a new division of Aligarh, and Kasganj as a new district to be renamed Kanshi Ram Nagar, Agra to become a new police zone for efficient policing, two-room tenements for those under the Below Poverty Line instead of one room, appointment of safai karamcharis or cleaners in villages.

In her hour-long speech, which was more a catalogue of charges against the Congress party, she lampooned Rahul Gandhi for his new Dalit love, describing it as a “natak” or drama.

The BSP supremo said her party alone was the true well-wisher of Dalits and custodian of their rights and the way to realise B.R. Ambedkar’s dream. “The Congress party, right from early 1950s when it manoeuvred to get Dr Sahab defeated till today, as we are witnessing in a number of cases in Maharashtra, has been anti-Dalit,” Mayawati said. She said the Congress had done nothing concrete for the Dalits. “But our party does what it promises and says.”

She accused the central government of ignoring Uttar Pradesh’s demands. “We have been writing to them and asking for additional funds to speed up development in the state but there has been no response. We have also suggested division of UP into three states so that the pace of growth can be accelerated.”

Mayawati warned bureaucrats and district officials that they would not be spared if they failed to deliver. She vehemently denied playing vendetta politics. “Criminals have been treated as criminals. If I had been vindictive many of the Samajwadi Party leaders including Mulayam Singh Yadav would have been in jail.”

Speaking from a dazzling dais against the background of a replica of the parliament house, the chief minister blamed the Congress party for all the problems plaguing the state.

A 53 kg garland was presented to her on arrival. A 51 ft tall painting of hers also attracted attention at the venue which saw more than 100,000 people arriving from various parts of the city and neighbouring districts to hear her.