Ahmedabad:
Bahujan Samajwadi Paty chief Mayawati arrived in Gujarat today to express her solidarity with the Dalit victims of the July 11 atrocities in Una and accused the state and the Centre of oppressing the community.
Mayawati, who is the last among the national politicians to have visited the state over the issue, said, "I did not come earlier since the situation then was volatile and could have led to riots across the country. I came now since things have cooled down."
The powerful Dalit leader from Uttar Pradesh drove down to the labour-dominated Sarangpur area in Ahmedabad and paid tributes at a statue of Bhim Rao Ambedkar. Mayawati is scheduled to check on the health of the victims later in the day.
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader said, "It was more shocking that the Gujarat government was moved in the case only after we disrupted parliament. Even the opposition Congress party in the state remained silent."