‘Parties should support govt on Pahalgam’, Mayawati cautions against ‘dirty politics’

Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Wednesday urged all political parties to rise above differences and stand united in support of the BJP-led Central government on decisions related to the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 innocent lives.

Her appeal came amid growing political friction and internal party directives following the incident.

In a post on X, Mayawati said, “All parties should unite and support the government in every step taken by it regarding the Pahalgam terror attack. Instead of doing dirty politics under its cover by putting up posters and making statements, etc., because this is creating confusion among the people, which is not good for the country.”

She also issued a pointed warning to the Congress and Samajwadi Party, stating that any attempt to insult Dr. B.R. Ambedkar would prompt a strong reaction from the BSP.

“In this case, the architect of the Indian Constitution, the most revered Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, should not be insulted at all. Especially SP and Congress should take special care of this, otherwise, BSP can take to the streets against them.”

Mayawati’s remarks followed a controversy surrounding a now-deleted Congress post on X that drew criticism from the BJP.

The post featured an image of a man in kurta-churidar without a neck or head, captioned, “Jimmedari ke samay– GAYAB (Invisible at the time of responsibility),” which the BJP claimed mirrored ‘Sar tan se juda’ imagery targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Facing backlash, the Congress deleted the post and issued a directive urging its leaders to avoid off-the-cuff remarks on the Pahalgam terror attack.

The party made it clear that only statements from party president Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leader Rahul Gandhi, and authorised AICC office-bearers reflected its official position.

Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal emphasised that any deviation from the party’s established stance would be treated as a serious breach of discipline.

He reiterated that the party had expressed its “deep anguish over the reprehensible terrorist attack in Pahalgam” and extended “unwavering solidarity with the nation during this hour of grief.”

Venugopal added, “At this critical juncture when collective resolve is being tested, the Indian National Congress must demonstrate unity, maturity, and responsibility — qualities that have defined its conduct throughout decades of national service, whether in government or opposition.”

–IANS