Mayawati attacks BJP, Shiv Sena for raking up Ram temple issue

NEWDELHI: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati slammed the BJP and the Shiv Sena on Saturday for raking up the Ram temple issue ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, alleging it to be a “political tactic” to divert attention from their failures.

She said since the matter is before the Supreme Court, parties and outfits must await the outcome and not rake it up in such a way.

“To divert attention from their failures, they raised Ram Mandir issue. Had their intentions been good, they needn’t have waited for five years. It’s their political tactic, nothing else. Whatever their associates like Shiv Sena and VHP are doing is part of their conspiracy,” the BSP chief said. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also urged party cadre from staying away from organisations such as Bhim Army, who were allegedly using her and the BSP’S name to gather people at their rallies and to seek donation.

Meanwhile, an Uttar Pradesh minister on Saturday said the army should be deployed in Ayodhya to control the situation in the temple town.

Om Prakash Rajbhar, president of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), broke ranks with Bharatiya Janata Party. Expressing concern over the congregation of Shiv Sainiks, VHP cadre and RSS workers in the temple town for the ‘Dharam Sabha’ slated for Sunday and the arrival of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, Rajbhar said he endorsed the views of the Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav who demanded that the Supreme Court should issue an order for army deployment in Ayodhya.

“I welcome the statement of Akhilesh Yadav and support his call for deployment of the army,” said Rajbhar. He also inquired how hundreds and thousands of people were entering Ayodhya while section 144 was clamped in the temple town. Rajbhar drew criticism when he said seers were doing drama about the Ram temple as “it was their bread and butter”.