BSP Chief Mayawati Criticises Congress and SP Over Kanshi Ram’s Bharat Ratna Push
Mayawati accuses Congress and SP of exploiting Kanshi Ram’s legacy for vote-bank politics in Uttar Pradesh elections.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) National President Mayawati on Tuesday accused the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress of exploiting the legacy of BSP founder Kanshi Ram for political gains ahead of next year’s Uttar Pradesh elections. Speaking amid renewed demands for Kanshi Ram to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, Mayawati described the move by opposition parties as “opportunistic” and “politically motivated.”
Mayawati alleged that parties which had previously ignored Kanshi Ram’s contributions are now invoking his legacy for vote-bank considerations. She highlighted demands from the SP, Congress, and other political outfits to celebrate Kanshi Ram’s birth anniversary and confer him with the nation’s highest civilian honour, suggesting that these initiatives were aimed more at electoral advantage than genuine recognition.
Posting on social media platform X, Mayawati criticised rival parties for attempting to appropriate the BSP founder’s legacy. She particularly targeted the Congress, arguing that it failed to honour Kanshi Ram with the Bharat Ratna when it held power at the Centre, yet is now seeking the recognition from a different government. She framed these efforts as part of a broader pattern aimed at weakening the BSP, a party she vowed to protect.
Also Read: Rahul Gandhi: Kanshi Ram Would Have Been UP CM if Nehru Were Alive
Mayawati reaffirmed her commitment to safeguarding the BSP’s ideology and organisational strength as Kanshi Ram’s political successor. She argued that the opposition’s renewed attention to Kanshi Ram reflects a decline in the prominence of their own leaders, prompting them to rely on the legacy of BSP icons to boost their political relevance.
The BSP chief also recalled that several initiatives undertaken during the party’s rule in honour of Kanshi Ram were subsequently diluted or reversed by SP-led governments. Citing Kanshi Ram’s book Chamcha Yug (“The Age of the Sycophants”), she criticised what she described as sycophantic politics within rival parties.
The debate intensified after SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi publicly demanded that Kanshi Ram receive the Bharat Ratna. Both described him as a transformative leader who championed social justice and played a pivotal role in advancing Bahujan consciousness across India.
Also Read: Rahul Gandhi Takes Congress's Dalit Outreach to Lucknow With Kanshi Ram Tribute Event
