Mulayam's apology to Muslim community a political gimmick: Mayawati

Lucknow, July 15 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Thursday said the apology of Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav to the Muslim community for joining hands with former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kalyan Singh was a political gimmick and ridiculous.

"People should not trust such a leader with double character. Yadav sheltered one of those leaders, who were responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid. Yadav had long track record of hobnobbing with communal forces," said Mayawati.

"Yadav had become minister for first time in 1977 in Janata Party supported by communal forces. Then Kalyan Singh and Yadav were together in the Cabinet. In 1989 Yadav became Chief Minister with the help of communal forces and it was repeated in August 2003 when Kalyan Singh's four-MLA party joined the coalition," she added.

Mayawati further said the political compulsions have forced the Samajwadi Party chief to take such a step.

"Such tactic would not erase communal blot on Yadav's shoulders. Yadav believed that people's memory was weak and this was his fallacy," she added.

In an open letter addressed to the members of the Muslim community on Thursday, Mulayam Singh Yadav has expressed his regrets for joining hands with Kalyan Singh.

Kalyan Singh was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, when the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992. (ANI)