Congress' Danish Ali slams Mayawati for criticism of Rahul on Waqf issue

New Delhi: Hitting back at Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati over her criticism of Rahul Gandhi on the Waqf issue, Congress leader Danish Ali on Saturday said that she could not even get the sole BSP MP to vote against the Waqf Bill and wondered whether it was under someone's pressure or just coincidence.

Mayawati criticised the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for not speaking on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill during a long debate in Parliament.

The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, "It is natural for Muslims to feel considerably angry and for I.N.D.I.A. bloc partners to be agitated on the issue."

Responding to the criticism, Ali, who was a BSP MP in the last Lok Sabha, said, "Respected sister Mayawati ji, BSP has only one MP Ramji Gautam, you could not even get him to vote against the Waqf Bill.

"As usual, was this under someone's pressure or just a coincidence?" The Congress and Rahul Gandhi are fighting to save the Constitution inside and outside Parliament, Ali said in a post on X in Hindi.

Mayawati had earlier on X wondered if it was justified of Rahul Gandhi to not speak on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha even though there was an extensive debate on the matter.

"... in any case, the Congress and the BJP are equally guilty of virtually depriving the Dalits of welfare, government jobs, and education by virtually making the reservation rights ineffective and redundant.

"It is important that the religious minorities realise the need to escape from the deception of these parties," she had said.

The BSP chief also said the Bahujans fared poorly in all aspects due to "such tactics of these parties." "The issue of privatisation in power and other sectors is also worrisome and the government must discharge its constitutional responsibility towards people's welfare in all honesty," she added.

The BSP chief had earlier on Thursday asked the Centre to reconsider the provisions in the new Waqf law and suspend it for the time being.