Mayawati slams BJP for intolerance, but supports GST

BSP Chief Mayawati who had been mute on the issue of intolerance till now, slammed the BJP government for intolerance, communalism and anarchy in the country and also attacked the Congress for misusing CBI.

Participating in the debate on 'Commitment to the Indian Constitution' in Rajya Sabha on Monday, she expressed concern over the condition of Scheduled Castes, OBCs and minorities, particularly Muslims.

Also Read: Uniform civil code, NDA's strategy against intolerance debate?

At the same time, she extended support to GST and said, "If your government is fully confident that bringing the GST Bill is in the interest of the nation, it will bring a change in the economy and give a boost to it, the BSP will definitely back it. Our party supports the Bill in Parliament," she said.

The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also attacked Congress questioning their commitment to the welfare of Dalits and rejected the pro-Ambedkar assertions of both BJP and Congress. She claimed that when she headed a BSP-BJP coalition government in Uttar Pradesh over a decade ago, BJP put pressure on her to pursue Hindutva agenda.

"CBI was misused to harass me in the Taj Corridor case and I was falsely implicated. Congress which came in to power in 2004, too kept the issue hanging and it was Supreme Court which gave me justice," she said.

Without naming Aamir Khan whose remarks on intolerance have led to a controversy, the BSP chief said she holds the government more responsible for the row than the actor. She advised Aamir Khan not to think of leaving the country but to counter such things by a strategy akin to what Ambedkar used to employ.