Mayawati under pressure: D Raja on BSP Supremo questioning Oppn leaders visit to J-K

CPI leader D Raja on Monday criticized BSP Supremo Mayawati for questioning Opposition leaders' Kashmir visit.

"Madam Mayawati is under pressure. If she has to defend her position, let her defend and she should not take the opportunity to criticise the Opposition parties which went to Srinagar," he said.

"We went there with a genuine cause and a great intention to express a message of solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir and they are totally cut off from the rest of the country," he added.

The CPI leader said it is the BSP and Mayawati who are giving a chance to BJP to attack Opposition.

"She is giving a chance for BJP to attack Congress and Left parties. It is she who is giving a chance to BJP. Who is giving chance to BJP? It is BSP," the veteran politician said.

Referring to her remarks about Dr Ambedkar's views on Article 370, Raja said, "Without reading the proceedings of Constituent Assembly, one should not drag Dr Ambedkar into the political controversy. BSP is giving an opportunity to BJP to question Congress, Left Parties, DMK and other parties which went to Srinagar."

Urging Mayawati to speak on issues like detention of leaders in Jammu Kashmir, he said, "She must explain why she is defending BJP. This is what Dr Ambedkar asked? Ambedkar fought against all Hindutva forces his whole life. Mayawati should understand and she should tell Dalit masses whom she thinks she represents."

Earlier in the day, Mayawati in a series of tweets had said Opposition leaders should have put in a little more thought before scheduling a visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

"Did not the recent visit of Congress and other party leaders to Kashmir sans permission similar to giving the Centre and the Governor a chance to do politics? It would have been appropriate if they had thought about it a bit before going there," Mayawati said.