Faisal Fareed
Daijiworld Media Network - Lucknow
Lucknow, Sep 6: Chief Minister (CM) Mayawati came out against the WikiLeaks expose terming its CEO Assange as 'mad' on Tuesday September 6. In a press conference, she even offered to admit him in the mental asylum at Agra.
"The content of WikiLeaks are false, baseless, imaginative and intended with malafide intentions. The WikiLeaks boss is playing in the hands of my political detractors. It smells of their anti-dalit mentality," she retorted. She stated that if no country is offering to admit Assange, she is ready for her treatment in mental asylum at Agra.
Mayawati also gave clean chit to her close aide Satish Chandra Mishra MP and Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh terming them as men of high integrity. "They can never say anything against me, the contents of WikiLeaks cables need to be condemned in the strongest words," he said.
These cables have been claimed to be reproduced from the report of US diplomat who was here in Lucknow in 2008 and 2009 which quoted both her aides claiming that Mayawati was involved in corruption and had dictatorial attitude as chief minister.
She also termed the whole episode as a drama which have been doctored as assembly polls are approaching in the state. She even stated that both Mishra and Singh will be further elevated in the government.
Mayawati was also highly critical of certain comments in WikiLeaks cables report. Over her sandal issue, she stated that Assange must be travelling on the same plane which brought my sandal. Regarding keeping tab on her cooks, she stated that Assange and some BJP leaders who have raised the issue are washing utensils in my kitchen so they know so many details.
She also decried a section of the media and electronic channels blaming them of sensationalising the issue and publishing unconfirmed reports.
However, she did not answer when asked about legal proceedings against WikiLeaks.