Beni again: Mulayam Singh Yadav hand-in-glove with BJP

A day after Mulayam Singh Yadav referred to him as an old friend engaged in his publicity, Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma on Saturday resumed his attack on the Samajwadi Party president, alleging that he was hand in glove with the BJP for fomenting communal tension in the state to reap political benefits during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Beni also cited several examples of BJP supporting Mulayam in the past to underline their relationship. He also challenged Mulayam for an open debate over his role in Babri Masjid's demolition.
"There are ample incidents to prove that Mulayam is colluding with BJP for flaring up communal passion in the state. In the past Mulayam has taken help of BJP on various occasions. He formed government in 2003 with just 135 MLAs. Speaker Kesari Nath Tripathi allowed all defections. At that time, BJP was in power at the Centre," Beni claimed.
He also alleged that Mulayam's move for not supporting Sonia Gandhi in 1999, nominating Sakshi Maharaj to Rajya Sabha, contesting assembly election in Gujarat after the Godhra episode and his open praise for BJP leader L K Advani establishes that Mulayam has a secret relationship with BJP.
"Now Mulayam is busy in fomenting communal tension across the state so that votes can be polarised on religious lines benefitting BJP and SP," Beni said.
He said Mulayam had played the communal card in the past also. "When he was the CM in 1990, he ordered moving central forces from Ayodhya. It is also questionable that how VHP leader Ashok Singhal and BJP leader S C Dixit reached Babri Masjid in 1990. Mulayam had ordered not to fire. Later, firing was done at Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya which killed several Hindus. Mulayam did not request for CBI inquiry into the incident. It was part of his strategy and I am only clarifying the things so that both communities do not get carried away by emotions in the Lok Sabha elections," Beni said.