Mayawati takes aim at Priyanka Gandhi over infant deaths at Kota

Mayawati alleged the children died due to the negligence of the Rajasthan government

Mayawati priyanka A collage of Mayawati (left) and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra | PTI

BSP chief Mayawati took aim at Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, without directly naming her, while commenting on the issue of the deaths of scores of children at a government hospital in Rajasthan. A total of 100 infants had died at the JK Lon Hospital in Kota in December, triggering an uproar and criticism of the Congress government of Ashok Gehlot.

Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Mayawati described the deaths of 100 children in "Congress-ruled Rajasthan" as "very painful and sad". Mayawati alleged that despite the deaths, the Gehlot government is "still indifferent, irresponsible and insensitive" on the Kota hospital issue; Mayawati described this approach as "extremely condemnable".

Mayawati then tweeted what was "more sad" than the attitude of the Rajasthan government was the approach of the "top leadership of the Congress and, in particular, its woman general secretary [an apparent reference to Priyanka Gandhi]", who have been silent on the issue. Mayawati tweeted "It would have been good if the general secretary went to visit the poor, afflicted mothers [in Kota], like she did in Uttar Pradesh". Mayawati added the mothers in Rajasthan lost their children due to the negligence of the state government.

Mayawati declared that "If the woman general secretary of the Congress does not visit the mothers who lost their children in Kota, then her meetings with families of victims in Uttar Pradesh will be acts of political interest and theatrics." Mayawati called on the people of Uttar Pradesh to remain alert against such theatrics.

The formal entry of Priyanka Gandhi into active politics in January last year had given rise to speculation she could attract voters who had previously supported Mayawati and the BSP; these included sections of dalits and Muslims. Mayawati had criticised Priyanka in March last year for claiming that the Congress was contesting in Uttar Pradesh with the aim of cutting into BJP votes in many seats.

Last week, Priyanka Gandhi had visited relatives of people arrested in recent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in Uttar Pradesh. Mayawati and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav have yet to do so.

There is also another reason why Mayawati is angry with the Congress in Rajasthan. In September last year, all six MLAs of the BSP in the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly merged their legislative party with the Congress. Mayawati had lashed out at the Congress over the incident.