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===Taj corridor case===
===Taj corridor case===
In 2003 the CBI raided Mayawati's residence in relation to the [[Taj corridor case]], two days after it had filed an [[First Information Report]] against her.<ref>{{cite news|title=Taj controversy: CBI raids Mayawati's residence|url = http://ia.rediff.com/news/2003/oct/08taj.htm|accessdate=2011-02-02|newspaper=Redff.com|date=8 October 2003}}</ref> This led to discovery of assets disproportionate to her known income.<ref>{{cite news|title=Evidence found against Maya: CBI|url=http://ia.rediff.com/news/2003/oct/08taj1.htm|accessdate=2011-02-02|newspaper=rediff.com|date=8 October 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article501126.ece|author=Amrit Dhillon|date=31 October 2004|title=Friend of the poor has rupee fortune|publisher=Sunday Times website|accessdate=2011-02-02|location=London}}</ref>
In 2003 the CBI raided Mayawati's residence in relation to the [[Taj corridor case]], two days after it had filed an [[First Information Report]] against her.<ref>{{cite news|title=Taj controversy: CBI raids Mayawati's residence|url = http://ia.rediff.com/news/2003/oct/08taj.htm|accessdate=2011-02-02|newspaper=Redff.com|date=8 October 2003}}</ref> This led to discovery of assets disproportionate to her known income.<ref>{{cite news|title=Evidence found against Maya: CBI|url=http://ia.rediff.com/news/2003/oct/08taj1.htm|accessdate=2011-02-02|newspaper=rediff.com|date=8 October 2003}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article501126.ece|author=Amrit Dhillon|date=31 October 2004|title=Friend of the poor has rupee fortune|publisher=Sunday Times website|accessdate=2011-02-02|location=London}}</ref>
The Taj Corridor project was intended to upgrade tourist facilities near the Taj Mahal and was to be implemented during the tenure of BJP Rajanath Singh as Chief Minister. The then BJP government at the Centre gave the Environmental Clearance required for the project near Taj Mahal. However, later on the BJP backed out and then started saying that the project was not cleared by the Environment Ministry and blamed Mayawati for starting construction work near the Taj Mahal.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_corridor_case</ref>
‘‘I have been falsely implicated in the case for political reasons. But I am not going to succumb under any pressure,’’ she said at a convention of BSP workers in Patna. The former CM said the BJP first falsely implicated her in the Taj corridor case to harass her and then the Congress was using it to keep her entangled in view of her growing political influence.
‘‘If any action has to be taken then it should be done against the then UP Chief Secretary and other bureaucrats who were dealing with the project,’’ she said. <ref>http://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/77072/</ref>


===Birthdays===
===Birthdays===

Revision as of 06:36, 26 September 2011

"Mayavati" redirects here. For figure in Hindu mythology: daughter-in-law of Krishna, see Rati.

Mayawati
[1]
Assumed office
13 May 2007
Preceded byMulayam Singh Yadav
In office
3 May 2002 – 29 August 2003
Preceded byPresident's rule
Succeeded byMulayam Singh Yadav
In office
21 March 1997 – 21 September 1997
Preceded byPresident's rule
Succeeded byKalyan Singh
In office
3 June 1995 – 18 October 1995
Preceded byMulayam Singh Yadav
Succeeded byPresident's rule
Personal details
Born (1956-01-15) 15 January 1956 (age 68)
New Delhi
Political partyBahujan Samaj Party
SpouseUnmarried
RelationsSix brothers and two sisters
ResidenceLucknow
Alma materUniversity of Delhi
Meerut University
OccupationPolitician

Mayawati (Hindi: मायावती) (born 15 January 1956) is the Chief Minister[2] of Uttar Pradesh, India.[3][4] She heads the Bahujan Samaj Party, which represents the Bahujans or Dalits, the weakest strata of Indian society. This is her fourth term as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. An icon and an inspiration for millions of India's Dalits, who were oppressed by the Hindu upper castes for centuries, she is often referred to as Behen-ji, which means sister.[5]

Mayawati's rise from humble beginnings has been called a "miracle of democracy" by P. V. Narasimha Rao, former Prime Minister of India.[6] In 1993 she formed a coalition with the Samajwadi Party and emerged, at 39, the youngest chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and the first Dalit woman Chief Minister in India.[5] In 1997 and in 2002, she was Chief Minister in coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party, the second time for a full term. In two of these coalitions, she withdrew her support halfway through the term.[citation needed]

Mayawati's tenure has attracted considerable controversy. She is now India's richest Chief Minister.[7] The rise in her personal wealth[8] and that of her party[9] are described by critics as indicators of corruption.[5][10] Acts such as pulling down a stadium to build a monument to leaders of her party, including herself, are seen as whimsical and arbitrary,[11] and her style has been compared to "running a fiefdom".[12]

Personal life

Mayawati's father Prabhu Das was a post office employee at Badalpur, Gautam Buddha Nagar.[2] She was born in New Delhi at Shrimati Sucheta Kriplani Hospital.[2] The family belonged to the Jatav subcaste of the Chamar community, at the upper end[13] of the scheduled castes. The "family's small income" was spent on sending the sons to private schools while the daughters went to "low-performing government schools".[14]

Mayawati was a good student and did two degrees – a Bachelors of Arts and an LL.B. (Law) from Kalindi Women's College under the University of Delhi. Subsequently, she did her B.Ed from VMLG College, Ghaziabad.[2] She was working as a teacher in Inderpuri JJ Colony, Delhi, and studying for the Indian Administrative Services exams, when Dalit politician Kanshi Ram came to their house in 1977. According to biographer Ajoy Bose, Kanshi Ram said, "I can make you such a big leader one day that not one but a whole row of IAS officers will line up for your orders."[14] She was part of Kanshi Ram's team when he founded the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) in 1984. In 1989 she was elected to the parliament from Bijnor.

At Kanshi Ram's funeral ceremonies in 2006, Mayawati said they had both been following Buddhist traditions and customs.[15] Her act of performing the last rites of Kanshi Ram (Hindi: दाह-संस्कार, traditionally done by a male heir) was an instance of their views against gender discrimination.[15] She has indicated that she may formally convert to Buddhism at some point.[16]

Political career

In 1984 Kanshi Ram founded the BSP as a party to represent the Dalits and Buddhists.[17] Mayawati was a key member of this organisation. BSP fielded Mayawati for its first election campaign from the Kairana Lok Sabha (Lower House) seat in the Muzaffarnagar district in 1984, and then again for the Lok Sabha seats of Bijnor in 1985 and Haridwar in 1987. In 1989 she was elected for the Lok Sabha seat of Bijnor, with a total of 183,189 votes.[18][19]

Although BSP did not win, the electoral experience led to considerable activity for Mayawati over the next five years, as she worked with Mahsood Ahmed and other organisers. In the 1989 election, the party won 9% of the popular vote and 13 seats. It won 11 seats in the 1991 election. Because the Dalits are widely spread over the state, Kanshi Ram and Mayawati then adopted a policy of attracting other groups, which continues today.

Mayawati won election to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1989, from Bijnor. In 1995, while a member of the Rajya Sabha (Upper House), she became a Chief Minister in a short-lived coalition government, and validated her position by winning from two constituencies in 1996. She was again Chief Minister for a short period in 1997, and then for a somewhat longer term in coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party from 2002 to 2003. Before that in 2001 her mentor, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Kanshi Ram, named her as his successor.

Mayawati has said in an interview that she has no time for family life or romantic relationships because she wants to focus on her political career and this is why she remains unmarried.[20]

2007 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections

Contrary to some poll predictions, BSP won a majority in the 2007 elections, the first such majority since 1991. Mayawati attracted support from Brahmins, Thakurs, Muslims, and members of other backward classes. These people voted for a Dalit party for the first time, partly because BSP had offered seats to people from these communities. The campaign was accompanied by a colourful slogan: Haathi nahin, Ganesh hain, Brahma, Vishnu Mahesh Hain: "The elephant (BSP Logo) is really the Lord Ganesha, the trinity of gods rolled into one". Her new slogan invited everyone, including the higher castes, to "come ride the elephant", her party's election symbol.[5]

Chief Minister, 2007

Mayawati was sworn in as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for the fourth time on 13 May 2007. She announced an agenda that focused on providing social justice to the weaker sections of society and providing employment instead of distributing money to the unemployed. Her slogan was to make "Uttar Pradesh" ("Northern Province") into "Uttam Pradesh" ("Excellent Province").

In 2007 Mayawati's government began a major crackdown on irregularities in the recruitment process of police officers recruited during the previous Mulayam Singh government. So far 17,868 policemen have lost their jobs for irregularities in the recruitment process and 25 IPS officers were suspended for their involvement in corruption while recruiting the police constables.[21][22] Mayawati is instituting reforms to introduce transparency into the recruiting process, including posting results of selection exams online.[23]

As part of her social reform plans she advocates reservation for the poor among upper castes in addition to reservation for weaker sections of society. Reservation in India is a system whereby a percentage of government positions and seats in all universities are reserved for persons in backward classes and scheduled castes and tribes.[24]

2009 parliamentary elections

The BSP won 20 seats in Lok Sabha from the state of Uttar Pradesh in the 2009 elections. The BSP obtained the highest percentage (27. 42%) of votes in Uttar Pradesh for any one political party. It was in third position in terms of national polling percentage (6.17%).[25]

Political and legal issues

Taj corridor case

In 2003 the CBI raided Mayawati's residence in relation to the Taj corridor case, two days after it had filed an First Information Report against her.[26] This led to discovery of assets disproportionate to her known income.[27][28] The Taj Corridor project was intended to upgrade tourist facilities near the Taj Mahal and was to be implemented during the tenure of BJP Rajanath Singh as Chief Minister. The then BJP government at the Centre gave the Environmental Clearance required for the project near Taj Mahal. However, later on the BJP backed out and then started saying that the project was not cleared by the Environment Ministry and blamed Mayawati for starting construction work near the Taj Mahal.[29] ‘‘I have been falsely implicated in the case for political reasons. But I am not going to succumb under any pressure,’’ she said at a convention of BSP workers in Patna. The former CM said the BJP first falsely implicated her in the Taj corridor case to harass her and then the Congress was using it to keep her entangled in view of her growing political influence. ‘‘If any action has to be taken then it should be done against the then UP Chief Secretary and other bureaucrats who were dealing with the project,’’ she said. [30]

Birthdays

Mayawati's past birthdays have been major media events, where she appeared laden with diamonds.[5] Her supporters have declared her birthday as Jan Kalyankari Diwas (People's Welfare Day). In 2009 the day was marked by the announcement of welfare schemes targeted towards poor and downtrodden people of the state.[31] Her 2010 birthday was marked by the launch of programmes with a value of over Rs 7,312 crores.[32]

Disproportionate assets case

Mayawati's assets run into millions of dollars, with several properties to her name.[5] In the 2007–08 assessment year, Mayawati paid an income tax of Rupees 26 crores, ranking among the top 20 taxpayers in the country. Earlier the CBI had filed a case against her for owning assets disproportionate to her known sources of income. Mayawati described the CBI investigation against her as illegal.[33] Her party asserts that her income comes from gifts and small contributions made by party workers and supporters.[34][35]

Statues

In her tenures as a Chief Minister, Mayawati erected number of statues of Buddhist and Dalit icons like Bhimrao Ambedkar, Shahuji Maharaj, Gautam Buddha, BSP founder Kanshi Ram, and of herself.[36] The statues and the memorial parks in which they are erected are said to have cost the state Rs. 2000 crore.[37] The Supreme Court of India admitted a Public Interest Litigation questioning this expenditure. She maintains that the statues are symbols of Dalit assertion and the expenditure was required because the past governments did not show respect towards Dalit icons, in whose memory nothing was ever built.[38] In February 2010, Mayawati's government approved a plan for a special police force to protect the statues. She feared that her political opponents might demolish the statues.[39] There are incidents of vandalism of statues of Dalit icon Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar in India.[40][41][42][43]

World Bank criticism

The World Bank loaned India funds for development, and Mayawati was to manage projects with this money in UP.[44] The projects were preplanned and on schedule, but the Mayawati government made changes which put the project behind schedule. The World Bank sent a 1 August 2002 letter of complaint to India's central government stating, "We have now learnt that project managers have been replaced within three weeks of assuming office. The project coordinator of the Diversified Agriculture Support Project has been changed twice in quick succession and at the moment there is no project coordinator. In the forestry project, numerous changes have been made over the past six months ... Such developments do not augur well for these time-bound projects that require consistently good leadership."[45]

Wikileaks allegations

Diplomatic cables published in 2011 through Wikileaks detailing the opinions of American civil servants asserted that Mayawati ran all governmental decisions through her small group of advisors and that she employed food tasters for security.[46] The diplomatic cables also alleged that Mayawati sent a private jet to Mumbai to retrieve some sandals.[47] Mayawati responded to the cables by saying that the statements they presented were baseless.[48]

Other

Kanshi Ram, head of the Bahujan Samaj Party, praised Mayawati at her 47th birthday celebrations for her fundraising activities on behalf of the party. He stated that the party's eventual goal is to gain power in Delhi, and that Mayawati's efforts help in that quest.[49]

Mayawati's public meetings are attended by large audiences, using slogans such as "Kanshi Ram ka mission Adhoora; karegi Behen Mayawati poora" (Kanshi Ram's unfulfilled mission will be completed by Mayawati), "Behenji tum sangharsh karo; hum tumhare saath hain" (Sister, go ahead with your struggle; we are with you).[50]

Books on Mayawati

Many studies have been done on Mayawati and many books have been published, including her autobiographies. One of the first works was journalist Mohammad Jamil Akhter's book, Iron Lady Kumari Mayawati.[51] Her autobiographies are Mere Sangarshmai Jeevan Evam Bahujan Movement Ka Safarnama in three volumes in Hindi, and A Travelogue of My Struggle-ridden Life and of Bahujan Samaj, in English in two volumes.[52] Behenji : A Political Biography Of Mayawati is a biography by veteran journalist Ajoy Bose.[14]

See also

References

  1. ^ UP CMs & their terms. Retrieved on 30 March 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d "Ms. MAYAWATI, Chief Minister, Uttar Pradesh, Life History: At A Glance (Official Profile of Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh)". upgov.nic.in. 16 July 2009. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
  3. ^ "Mayawati in Newsweek's top woman achievers' list".
  4. ^ "Mayawati is India's anti-Obama: Newsweek". The Times Of India. 21 April 2009.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Profile: Mayawati Kumari". news.bbc.co.uk. 16 July 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  6. ^ "'A miracle of democracy'". Tehelka Magazine. 10 May 2008.
  7. ^ "Mayawati richest CM in India". reddit. 20 January 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  8. ^ "Mayawati's assets rise from Rs 52 crore to Rs 87 crore in 3 yrs". Times of India. 27 May 2010. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  9. ^ Bhonsle, Anubha (18 March 2010). "BSP's I-T return rises 30 times in 3 years". CNN-IBN. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  10. ^ Gidwani, Deepak (27 May 2010). "Mayawati has a treasure trove of gold, jewels, but no car". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  11. ^ "CAG raps Mayawati govt for pulling down stadium". Zee News. 13 August 2010. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  12. ^ Ramendra Singh (5 September 2011). "BSP chief a 'first-rate egomaniac'". Indian Express. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
  13. ^ http://bhimraoambedkar.com/2011/01/23/dalit-leader-mayawati/
  14. ^ a b c Ajoy Bose, Behenji: A Political Biography of Mayawati, Penguin 2008
  15. ^ a b http://www.rediff.com/news/2006/oct/16look.htm Mayawati claims Kanshi Ram's Legacy
  16. ^ "Mayawati to embrace Buddhism". The Hindu. 17 October 2006. Retrieved 10 September 2011. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  17. ^ Srivastava, Sanjeev (9 October 2006). "Kanshi Ram: Champion of the poor". BBC News. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  18. ^ Subrahmaniam, Vidya (22 March 2010). "A quarter century of Kanshi Ram & Mayawati". Chennai, India: The Hindu. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  19. ^ "Profile of Mayawati, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh". Official UP Government Release. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  20. ^ Wax, Emily (19 July 2008). "Lower-caste politician a lofty symbol in India". Tehran Times. Washington Post. Retrieved 10 September 2011. Still, she is clear about her determination to expand her party's national footprint. She said she was so focused on her political career that she has no time for romantic relationships, movies, even extended family. 'That's why I am unmarried,' she said. 'I don't even keep my parents here.' {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  21. ^ "Uttar Pradesh police recruitment scam". News Track India. 1 October 2007. Retrieved 26 June 2008.
  22. ^ "12 Uttar Pradesh cops suspended, new recruits lose jobs". www.monstersandcritics.com. 11 September 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  23. ^ Kanchan Gupta (10 April 2010). "To fight Maoists, reform the police". www.dailypioneer.com. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  24. ^ "Mayawati promises justice for all". 20 June 2007. Retrieved 15 February 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |source= ignored (help)
  25. ^ List of Winning Candidates
  26. ^ "Taj controversy: CBI raids Mayawati's residence". Redff.com. 8 October 2003. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  27. ^ "Evidence found against Maya: CBI". rediff.com. 8 October 2003. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  28. ^ Amrit Dhillon (31 October 2004). "Friend of the poor has rupee fortune". London: Sunday Times website. Retrieved 2 February 2011.
  29. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_corridor_case
  30. ^ http://www.indianexpress.com/oldStory/77072/
  31. ^ "Mayawati to celebrate birthday as 'People's Welfare Day'". www.thaindian.com. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
  32. ^ PTI (15 January 2010). "The Hindu : States / Other States : Mayawati launches welfare schemes on birthday". Chennai, India: Beta.thehindu.com. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  33. ^ CBI probe in DA case illegal: Mayawati
  34. ^ Pradeep Thakur, TNN, 3 Aug 2008, 12.22am IST (3 August 2008). "Mayawati, Shah Rukh among top taxpayers – India – The Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2 May 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  35. ^ PTI, 17 Mar 2010, 12.40pm IST (17 March 2010). "Defiant Mayawati felicitated with another cash garland – India – The Times of India". Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2 May 2010.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  36. ^ Rajiv Ranjan Jha (25 May 2005). /articleshow/1120843.cms "Mayawati adds another 100 feet to her stature". Times of India. Retrieved 13 May 2007. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)
  37. ^ "Mayawati gets statue-tory warning from SC – Politics – ibnlive". Ibnlive.in.com. 3 February 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  38. ^ memorials-will-not-cost-any-more-money-says-mayawati www.thaindian.com
  39. ^ "India minister Mayawati police squad for statues". BBC News. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  40. ^ Monica Chadha (5 December 2006). "Despair of the discriminated Dalits". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  41. ^ "Desecration of Ambedkar statue triggers protests in Uttar Pradesh". Thaindian.com. 13 February 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  42. ^ "Protests in Ghaziabad over damage to Ambedkar statue". Thaindian.com. 25 January 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  43. ^ "Ambedkar statue desecrated, tension in Chhattisgarh village". Thaindian.com. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  44. ^ Kirk, Jason (2011). India and the World Bank: The Politics of Aid and Influence. Anthem Press. ISBN 978-0857284129.
  45. ^ Tripathi, Purima S. (14–27 September 2002), "Mayawati in double trouble", Frontline, 19 (19)
  46. ^ "Wikileaks: India's Mayawati 'sent jet to collect shoes'". BBC News. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  47. ^ "India's Mayawati says 'Wikileaks founder has gone mad'". BBC News South Asia. 6 September 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  48. ^ Agarwal, Vibhuti (6 September 2011). "Mayawati: WikiLeaks Founder Should Be Sent to Mental Asylum - India Real Time - WSJ". blogs.wsj.com. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  49. ^ http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/jan/16up1.htm Fund collection: Kanshi Ram defends Mayawati
  50. ^ 'I will fulfill Kanshi Ram's dream'
  51. ^ Kumari Mayawati Ji: BSP, UP Chief Minister Bahan Kumari Mayawati, Bahujan Samaj Aur Uski Rajniti, Mere Sangarshmai Jeevan Evam Bahujan Movement Ka Safarnama, A Travelogue of M...
  52. ^ http://uplegassembly.nic.in/MAYAWATI%20BOI%20DATA.htm KUMARI MAYAWATI

External links

Timeline

Political offices
Preceded by Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
13 June 1995 – 18 October 1995 		Succeeded by
President's Rule
Administered by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh,
Motilal Vora 18 October 1995 – 3 May 1996
Mohammad Shafi Qureshi 3 May 1996 – 19 July 1996
Romesh Bhandari 19 July 1996 – 21 March 1997
title/post subsequently held by-
Mayawati
Preceded by
President's Rule
Administered by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh,
Motilal Vora 18 October 1995 – 3 May 1996
Mohammad Shafi Qureshi 3 May 1996 – 19 July 1996
Romesh Bhandari 19 July 1996 – 21 March 1997
title/post previously held by-
Mayawati
 Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
21 March 1997 – 21 September 1997 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
President's Rule
Administered by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh, V K Shastri
title/post previously held by-
Rajnath Singh
 Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
3 May 2002 – 29 August 2003 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh
13 May 2007 – Present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent

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