Patna, April 14 (IANS): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday attacked the BJP, saying "those who make a mockery of the Indian constitution" are now celebrating the birth anniversary of B.R. Ambedkar.

"They make a mockery of the Indian constitution and then celebrate the birth anniversary of Ambedkar extravagantly to pretend as if they are close to his ideas and thoughts," Nitish Kumar said at a function to pay tributes to the Dalit icon at the Janata Dal-United (JD-U) office here.

Nitish Kumar became the national president of JD-U on Sunday, replacing Sharad Yadav.

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was going to town with Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary only with a view to winning the votes of the weaker sections of society. 

"It's their lust for power, nothing more. They have nothing to do with the ideology of the Dalit icon," said Nitish Kumar.

While Ambedkar fought for the unity of the society and championed the cause of the deprived people, the BJP believes in dividing the society and exploiting the deprived people for political gains, he said.

"Dalit students have been harassed in universities across the country and forced to commit suicide by those in power at the centre who feign love for Ambedkar."

"Those who have no role in India's freedom struggle are talking too much about patriotism and nationalism these days," Nitish Kumar added.