Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on April 8 said she was not against religious beliefs but definitely opposed ritualism of any kind.

"BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) has always opposed fleecing of poor in the name of rituals and our stand remains the same till today," she said reacting to Samajwadi Party's second Video CD of her remarks made at a meeting of BSP workers, released earlier in the day.

In a statement, Mayawati said the remarks were nothing new and was part of her speech delivered recently in New Delhi.

"I was speaking at a public function where people from all walks of life heard me,"' she said.

Attacking the SP, the Chief Minister claimed its support base was eroding fast and therefore its leaders were indulging in petty politics of such kind.

"SP leaders earlier tried to mislead Muslims and later Thakurs, but their plans backfired," she added.

PTI