Set Your House in Order Before Talking About BSP: Mayawati's Retort to Rahul

Rahul Gandhi alleged that Mayawati gave a clear passage to the BJP because of "the CBI, ED and Pegasus".

File photo of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, party veteran Sonia Gandhi and BSP chief Mayawati.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/INC India)

A day after Rahul Gandhi hit out at Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati, saying she did not respond to Congress' offer to contest the Uttar Pradesh polls together, the BSP chief snapped back at Congress leader asking him "set his own house in order".

"We gave a message to Mayawati to form an alliance and asked her to become the chief minister. She did not even talk to us,” he said.

The former Congress president alleged that Mayawati gave a clear passage to the ruling BJP in the state because of "the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Pegasus."

But the BSP supremo retorted saying, "BJP and RSS are making India not just 'Congress-mukt' but also 'opposition-mukt' where India will be left with just one dominant party from national to village level just like that of China's political system."

"We are not a party where a leader like Rahul Gandhi forcefully hugs the PM in Parliament, we aren't a party whose fun is made across the world. "

Mayawati, BSP Supremo

"Congress can't mend its own way and can't set its own house in order but is intruding into our matters. Congress and Rahul Gandhi should think 100 times before commenting on the BSP," she said adding that, "comments show his inferior feelings and malevolence towards Dalits and the BSP".

The Congress won only two seats out of 403 and got a vote share of less than 2.5 percent in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP retained power.

The Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party saw its worst performance in the state’s assembly polls this year. The BSP won just one seat and a vote share of around 13 percent. Nearly 72 percent of its candidates also lost their deposit in the election.

The former chief minister and Dalit leader had blamed the BJP for ‘maligning’ its image in the minds of Muslim voters as part of the reason behind her defeat.

Today That Weapon (Constitution) Has No Meaning: Gandhi

During the release of the book, titled "The Dalit Truth” that centred on the battles of Dalits and BR Ambedkar's vision, Gandhi said the Constitution is a weapon but it is meaningless without institutions, which he alleged have been captured by the RSS.

"This is not a new assault. It started the day when Mahatma Gandhi was killed with bullets,” he added.

He said Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, gave the weapon to people "but today, that weapon has no meaning" as the media is being controlled and a spyware (Pegasus) is being used to control political leaders.

"This is the reality of India. And when the Constitution becomes defunct, the weak are the worst affected – Dalits, minorities, tribals, unemployed, small farmers and the poor," he said. Pointing out to the state of the country's economy, Gandhi said, "This is the time to fight."

He said Ambedkar and Gandhi had shown that "there is a path, but you need to tread on it. There is a way, but you need to tread that path".