“It appears that the owner of WikiLeaks has gone mad. The government of his country should send him to a mental asylum. If there is no place in the asylum there, he should be sent here (UP) and I shall get him admitted to Mental Hospital at Agra,” Mayawati said at a press conference.

The US embassy cables published on WikiLeaks site said Mayawati had sent an empty aircraft to Mumbai to bring her favourite sandals from there. It also alleged that she had a food taster. “The WikiLeaks owner has either gone mad or has joined hands with my opponents to tarnish my image,” she said.

The BSP supremo also lashed out at the media for what she claimed “publishing baseless and one-sided reports” and said that it only reflected their “anti-Dalit mindset.” Mayawati blasted BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi for criticising her and said it appeared that he had travelled on the same plane with Assange to Mumbai to fetch the sandal. She also said that those saying that she had food tasters may have served in her kitchen.

Mayawati also defended her Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh and her trusted lieutenant S C Mishra, who have also been exposed by the site as commenting on her style of functioning, and said she would not be deterred by such comments. Henceforth, she would give more importance to the duo.

The BSP supremo said such canards were being spread about her with a view to defaming her at a time when the elections were approaching and asked the party workers not to believe them.

Both Mishra and Singh have already refuted the disclosures.

Wiki founder hits back

Hitting back at Mayawati, who wants him to be put in a “mental asylum”, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday said Mayawati needs to take up her case with the US if she has a problem with the contents of American diplomatic cables that painted her as an “egomaniac.”Assange’s statement came hours after Mayawati slammed him over the US diplomatic cables.