New Delhi, July 16 - Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) general secretary Satish Chandra Mishra Thursday said Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi's house in Lucknow was 'conveniently' ransacked and set ablaze by members of her own party to divert attention from the derogatory remarks she had allegedly made against Chief Minister Mayawati.

'Making a comment of offering a sum of Rs.1 crore (to Mayawati) is an absolutely shameful act. Very conveniently, they (Congress leaders) got the house burnt by their own people. They have diverted the issue. It is a grave issue and should be dealt with seriously,' Mishra told Times Now news channel.

'By burning the house, they can tell the country that whatsoever she (Joshi) said is right. The Lucknow incident is the Congress' own creation, otherwise the whole country might be burning by now,' he added.

Joshi was arrested after midnight Wednesday in Ghaziabad for having allegedly made derogatory remarks about Mayawati. Around the same time, her house in Lucknow came under attack from BSP supporters.