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Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Thursday slammed both the Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress, accusing them of disrespecting the legacy and ideology of BR Ambedkar. She claimed that both parties were only using his name to get votes from Dalits.
"These parties are simply trying to get the votes of the Dalit population. Followers of Babasaheb should be cautious of them," the BSP supremo said. Her remarks came after a scuffle broke out between the opposition INDIA bloc and the ruling NDA on Parliament premises. "The politics, pushing, and shoving happening in Parliament are all for Dalit votes, and this is not good for the institution. The people of weaker sections of society are watching this, and I don't think they will be swayed by the ruling or opposition parties," Mayawati said. Both the opposition and the ruling party had taken out parallel protests regarding the remarks of Union Home Minister Amit Shah on B R Ambedkar. Leaders from both sides alleged pushing and shoving by each other, while two BJP MPs, Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput were injured. Both the MPs were rushed and admitted to Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. Replying to the comments Union Home Minister Amit Shah made on using Ambedkar's name, the BSP Supremo said that Shah has insulted his legacy. "The comments made by Amit Shah are an insult to his legacy and dignity. This is an insult to Bhim Rao Ambedkar, that is what our party believes," she said. She also demanded that Shah should retract his comments. "He should retract his remarks and also express remorse, Otherwise Ambedkar's followers will not be able to forget this incident, nor forgive him," she added. Criticising Congress, she mentioned that Ambedkar had also warned Dalit people about the party, as it is a party to not be "forgiven," after he was insulted and was forced to resign as the union law minister. "Congress is trying to get the votes of Dalits by criticising the remarks of Amit Shah. Babasaheb had warned Dalits about this party and told them that Congress is not a party to be forgiven. He also told them to never join the party. Ambedkar had said that the way this party has insulted him, he was forced to resign as the Law Minister, and then did not even let him come back as an MP," the BSP chief said. She mentioned how the people of the weaker sections of society are seeing the politics going on in Parliament, and will not be swayed by either side. Sarangi claimed he was standing on stairs when another member of Parliament fell on him, leading to an injury on his head. "Rahul Gandhi pushed a member of Parliament who fell on me after which I fell down...I was standing near the stairs when Rahul Gandhi came and pushed an MP who then fell on me..." Sarangi told reporters. Congress MPs and Rahul Gandhi also reacted to the allegations, saying that he was pushed and threatened while trying to get inside the Parliament. "This might be on your camera. I was trying to go inside through the Parliament entrance, but BJP MPs were trying to stop me, push me and threaten me. This has happened...Yes, this has happened (Mallikarjun Kharge being pushed)," Rahul Gandhi told reporters. Both the Congress and BJP have also filed a police complaint against each other. (ANI)
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