President Kovind has same anti-Ambedkar thinking as BJP: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday said that by not paying tribute to Baba Bhimrao Ambedkar in his address, President Ram Nath Kovind has shown that he has the same anti-Ambedkar thinking like the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"President Ram Nath Kovind should have laid the flowers of reverence on the statue of Baba Bhimrao Ambedkar because of whom he is now able to become the President of India. Not paying tribute to Bhim Rao Ambedkar's statue in the Parliamentary premises shows that he has the anti-Ambedkar thinking of the BJP," Mayawati said while addressing the media.

She added that President Kovind in his political life has represented the narrow and casteist thinking of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

"This was not expected from him. If not anybody else, then at least this can be expected from a person who is associated with the Dalit community that he will always be thankful for the struggles that Ambedkar went through and the sacrifices he made," she asserted.

Kovind was elected the President last Thursday as a National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate. He defeated the Opposition's nominee Meira Kumar by a huge margin.

President Kovind was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Chief Justice of India J.S. Khehar at the Central Hall of the Parliament in presence of outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee on the dais.