Lucknow: Thousands of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers on Thursday stepped up protests against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dayashankar Singh in Lucknow for comparing their party chief Mayawati to a prostitute.
Angry BSP workers protested in front of the Ambedkar statue at Hazratganj in Lucknow demanding Singh's arrest for the derogatory remarks. Party workers also broke police barricades and shouted slogans against the BJP while burning Singh's effigies.
The Uttar Pradesh Police also raided the residence of Singh but he is not traceable.
In derogatory remarks against Mayawati on Wednesday, Singh had said, "Mayawati is breaking the dream of Kanshi Ram into pieces. Mayawati is selling tickets like a prostitute."
"Mayawati gives tickets for Rs 1 crore and if there is someone who can give Rs 2 crore than she sells it for Rs 2 crore within an hour. If someone is ready to give Rs 3 crore by the evening, she gives the ticket to him. She is even worse than a prostitute," he said.
Singh's remarks drew severe flak from members in Parliament, including women MPs. Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson PJ Kurien said that the House wants the government to ensure that stringent action is taken against the BJP leader as per law for his "unforgivable" comments.
In the Rajya Sabha Leader of the House, Arun Jaitley, got up to express regret, saying the remarks were highly condemnable but Mayawati was not convinced and demanded that Singh's expulsion from the party and strong action taken against him.
Asking BSP not to politicise the issue, BJP state president Keshav Prasad Maurya said, "His remark was wrong. He was sacked from the party. This issue should stop here. Police will do what is needed. BSP should not make it a political issue. It is not required. They will not get any benefit from it."
BSP had filed a police complaint seeking an FIR against Singh under the SC/ST Act for his derogatory comments against Mayawati. BSP leaders, led by Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Naseemuddin Siddiqui, had submitted the complaint at the Hazratganj Kotwali.
The complaint, which was lodged by national secretary of BSP Mewalal Gautam, had alleged that Singh's remarks in Mau have hurt the feelings of BSP workers and the Dalit community across the country and were aimed at provoking them.
The BJP on Wednesday night expelled Singh from the party as it sought to buffer it against the fallout of his derogatory remarks against the BSP chief.
Maurya had sacked him from the party, hours after he announced that Singh had been relieved from all organisational responsibilities. Expulsion from the party will remain in force for six years in line with the party's rules, BJP leaders said.
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