‘Bua’ Maya wants CM to protect her honour
LUCKNOW: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati invoked a so-called bua-bhatija (aunt-nephew) relationship on Sunday to urge Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav to take action against an expelled BJP leader, whose controversial comments against the Dalit leader sparked massive protests.
At a press conference in Lucknow, Mayawati said Akhilesh often called her “Bua” – implying she is the sister of his father Mulayam Singh Yadav. “If the CM has to safeguard the honour of his bua, then he must get expelled BJP leader Dayashankar Singh, who made derogatory remarks against me, arrested,” Mayawati said.
She reminded Akhilesh of the action she took against BJP MP Varun Gandhi when he made offensive comments against Muslims during the 2009 Lok Sabha election campaign. Mayawati said the CM should show the same grit with Dayashankar Singh.
Singh had compared Mayawati to a prostitute, triggering widespread condemnation and an expulsion from the BJP. The comments have mobilized BSP workers, who demand his arrest, and may swing the Dalit vote towards the party in the assembly polls next year.
On Saturday, Akhilesh had condemned Singh’s remarks but also criticised alleged abuse of his family members by BSP workers. He called upon BJP and BSP leaders to introspect on the use of foul language.
Referring to an earlier alliance between the BSP and BJP, Akhilesh said ‘Raksha Bandhan’ was round the corner and they should patch up.
Mayawati landed in Lucknow on Saturday evening and held a closed-door meeting with senior party leaders.
Alleging an underhand deal between the BJP and SP, Mayawati said the state administration had set a 36-hour deadline for Singh’s arrest.
The deadline expired on Saturday but Singh was still at large.
The BSP had earlier planned to launch a statewide stir on Monday but has now said it will organise rallies across the state on different dates to expose an alleged pact between the SP and BJP, she said.
The first rally will be organised in Agra on August 21 and the second one at Azamgarh on August 28, she said.
The rally has been named ‘sarvajan hitay- sarvajan sukhay’ rally to give message to the people that BSP was not only concerned about the dignity of Dalits but of all communities.