The former CM said the “use of intelligence agencies” in the matter shows “the misuse of government machinery to save itself from the criticism it is facing for the violence”. The former CM said the “use of intelligence agencies” in the matter shows “the misuse of government machinery to save itself from the criticism it is facing for the violence”.

DESCRIBING BHIM Army as “a product of BJP”, BSP chief Mayawati on Thursday denied that her party and any of its leaders have a connection with the Saharanpur-based outfit, which is being blamed for clashes between Dalits and Thakurs in the district. She was referring to media reports which had quoted intelligence sources saying that Bhim Army had links with the BSP, reported PTI. In a statement, Mayawati claimed that BJP was trying to “hide its failures” in handling the caste violence by linking “the so-called Bhim Army with BSP”. She added that while her brother Anand has met several people since his appointment as the BSP national vice-president, neither anyone has “met him in the name of Bhim Army” nor he or the party has any ties with the outfit.

Mayawati said she had come to know during her visit to Saharanpur that Bhim Army members used to “extort money from people” on the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar “by calling themselves BSP’s well-wishers”. She said she had appealed to the locals to celebrate such occasions only under BSP’s banner.

The former CM said the “use of intelligence agencies” in the matter shows “the misuse of government machinery to save itself from the criticism it is facing for the violence”. She added that if intelligence agencies knew that Bhim Army was connected to the BSP, the media should have been informed about it before her visit to Saharanpur on Tuesday.

“People have alleged that Bhim Army is an outfit growing under BJP’s protection. BJP is using the outfit politically. That is why no action has been taken against its leaders,” she alleged. Mayawati claimed that BSP workers believe that Bhim Army is “entirely a product of BJP”, which wants to use the outfit to “damage the brotherhood and harmony established by BSP”. She also advised BSP workers to be cautious about outfits named after Ambedkar. She announced that she has removed BSP spokespersons Faizan Khan and Ummed Singh “so that casteist elements could not twist their statements to defame BSP and create hurdles in restoration of peace”.

A senior intelligence officer denied that any report has been prepared about BSP, Anand or any other leader’s links with Bhim Army. The outfit neither requires large scale funding and nor appears to have any established funding mechanism, the officer added.

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