Lucknow: In a fresh salvo aimed at driving a wedge between ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and its hindutva ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Samajwadi Party on April 8 released a compact disc (CD) in which Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati reportedly asks her party leaders to stop worshipping Gods and donate money for her birthday.

The CD, handed over to Governor Vishnu Kant Shastri by Leader of the Opposition Azam Khan and later released at a press conference, shows Mayawati reportedly telling her party workers not to worship Gods. "Do not offer prasad to Gods...do you know what happens to prasad?..dogs eat them."

According to the 20-minute CD, Mayawati reportedly says, "Manuvadis were misleading poor dalits. You had kept fast...taken bath on religious occasions and have been told that there are over 25,000 Gods. Have you seen them (Gods)? Do not believe Manuvadis. Work hard."

Accusing Mayawati of "sacrilege", Khan asked the Centre to immediately dismiss Mayawati government and arrest her under Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) on the charge of "inciting religious hatred".

This is the second CD released by SP in just over a month. On March 3, the party had hand over to the Governor a CD in which Mayawati allegedly asks BSP MLAs and MPs to donate a part of their development funds to the party coffers, kicking off a political storm.

Mayawati had at that time denied the charges and alleged that the Video CD was tampered with.

Khan declined to divulge the date and venue of the reported speech of Mayawati in the second CD but when pressed by reporters claimed the recording was done during her present tenure as Chief Minister.

PTI