BSP chief Mayawati attacks PM on 'caste' jibe on alliance

The BSP president alleged that the Prime Minister was misusing CBI against the Opposition and the sudden lodging of case during the Lok Sabha polls in the sugar mill sale in BSP regime, was an effort to target the alliance.

"We have never disrespected the PM, but only said that he was born in the upper caste and when he was CM of Gujarat, his caste was given as backward. What wrong was said by us? Both Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh are born in backward caste," she said.

Addressing a press conference here, she said that now, when BJP was lagging behind in the country, they were raking up the "Jaat Paat Japna, Dalit, Pichra Vote Harapna" slogan, to woo the Dalits and backwards.

"BJP was never a well-wisher of Dalits and backwards and always conspired to end the reservation," she further alleged.

She also said that it was BJP, which pulled down the VP Singh government over the implementation of Mandal Commission, which was also opposed by the Congress.

Mayawati also blamed the BJP for her resignation from the Rajya Sabha, for not allowing her to speak. She also said that BJP was targeting a certain section of the society, which is not acceptable.

Elaborating over the sudden lodging of FIR in the sale of sugar mills during her regime, Mayawati asked, what was the reason to take up the issue during the elections.

"I had no role in the sale of the mills, as the decision was taken by the Cabinet and the department was solely responsible for it," she clarified.

CBI had registered an FIR in the illegal sale of seven government-owned sugar mills, during her regime.