Lucknow, March 17 Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party and the Congress on Tuesday, accusing them of engaging in "anti-Dalit" politics and attempting to exploit the legacy of the BSP founder, Kanshi Ram, for electoral gains.
In a post on X, Mayawati alleged that as the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections drew closer, the SP and Congress were celebrating Kanshi Ram's birth anniversary as part of a "calculated strategy" to win over Dalit votes.
She also targeted the Congress, saying it had failed to bestow the Bharat Ratna on Kanshi Ram during its tenure at the Centre and was now demanding the honour from another government. She called this "laughable."
Mayawati further claimed that the SP and Congress had historically worked to weaken the BSP, the party founded by Kanshi Ram, and asserted that no force could shake it as long as she remained its national president and his "sole political heir."
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also accused the parties of neglecting Kanshi Ram during his lifetime and attempting to "cash in" on his legacy now, alleging a "double-faced" approach.
She added that several initiatives undertaken by the BSP government in honour of Kanshi Ram were reversed by the SP government, demonstrating their "double face."
Advising supporters of rival parties to remain silent, Mayawati also referred to Kanshi Ram's book, "The Chamcha Yug," saying it was written to caution against such tendencies.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had recently demanded the Bharat Ratna for Kanshi Ram and wrote a letter in this regard to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.