Centre, UP govt linking religion with politics: Mayawati

Lucknow: BSP supremo Mayawati on Monday accused the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government of "linking religion with politics" with an eye on "electoral benefits" ahead of the state Assembly polls.

"Developing tourism in Ayodhya is good but, how come the Narendra Modi government thought of developing the Ramayana Sangrahalay (museum) and the state government of Ramleela theme park just before the Assembly polls," she said in a release here.

"Linking religion with politics and electoral gains by these governments is condemnable...Had they really been so concerned about these issues, they would have thought about them long ago," said the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister.

She warned the two governments that while developing these projects, they should exercise utmost caution in ensuring that the disputed area was not affected.

Mayawati was particularly critical of the Samajwadi Party (SP) government in the state which today decided to increase the honorarium of madarsa teachers and provide houses at cheap rates to the poor in a cabinet meeting.

The BSP chief took a jibe at the SP saying these will remain "mere announcements" in the absence of proper budgetary allocation.

Mayawati also alleged that there was a race going on between the BJP and the SP "for cheap publicity".