Lucknow, December 22: Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday questioned the sincerity of the Congress' protests over the alleged "disrespect" to B R Ambedkar in Parliament, saying the party that ignored and undermined his struggle for the country is engaged in "politics of pure deception and selfishness". She also hit out at the BJP, alleging the ruling party and the Congress are cut from the same cloth when it comes to taking Ambedkar's name for vote bank politics.

"In reality, saints, gurus and great men born in the Bahujan Samaj including Baba Saheb got full respect and honour only when there was a BSP government, which these casteist parties cannot digest," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said in a series of posts on X. After the showdown inside and outside parliament during the winter session, the Congress has said it will hold protest marches against Union Home Minister Amit Shah, whom it has accused of "insulting" Ambedkar with his remarks last Tuesday, and observe a weeklong campaign on the issue. Mayawati Slams BJP, Congress Amid Ongoing Protests Against Remarks over Ambedkar.

Shah has accused the Congress of twisting facts and distorting his comments on Ambedkar in the Rajya Sabha, asserting it was a malicious campaign after the discussion on the Constitution "established" the opposition party as being "anti-Ambedkar and anti-reservation". Taking to "X" on Sunday, Mayawati said, "There is huge anger among the people across the country over the disrespect of the most revered Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar by Shri Amit Shah in Parliament, but the avidity of the Congress party, which has always neglected and hurt his struggle for the country, is pure deception and politics of selfishness." BSP To Hold Nationwide Protest on December 24 Over Home Minister Amit Shah’s Remarks on BR Ambedkar, Announces Mayawati.

All the parties are engaged in a conspiracy to hurt BSP in order to stop the caravan of Ambedkar supporters, she alleged. Targeting the Samajwadi Party, Mayawati said, "Especially the SP which, out of malice, even changed the names of districts, institutions and public welfare schemes, etc."