Derogatory remark: Now, FIR against Mayawati, Siddiqui
LUCKNOW: In a new twist to the ‘prostitute’ remark controversy, expelled BJP leader Dayashankar Singh’s family lodged an FIR against BSP chief Mayawati and three other senior BSP leaders, including party’s national general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui, here on Friday.
Siddiqui rejected the allegation levelled in the FIR, terming it as an attempt to cover the “crime” of Singh.
Singh, who is facing arrest for his derogatory comment against Mayawati, continues to be on the run.
Singh’s mother Tetra Devi, in her FIR, accused the BSP leaders of abusing her and her family in retaliation to her son’s comment. She also accused Mayawati and Siddiqui of hatching a conspiracy to murder her son.
Tetra Devi was accompanied to the Hazratganj police station by Singh’s wife Swati, other women members of the family and hundreds of his supporters when she went to file the FIR.
Singh’s supporters also shouted slogans: “Bhabhi ke samman me, yuva hai maidan me” (youths are out in the field to fight for the honour of sisterin-law).
Talking to media persons, Singh’s mother and wife said they feared for their life as they had received threat calls but were not provided security. They said they were compelled to live at a secret location to ‘save’ themselves. They alleged that senior BSP leaders and supporters had been using “highly derogatory” words against them, Singh’s 12-year-old daughter, and other women members of the family.“Some of the slogans used by BSP workers targeted my minor daughter and she is in mental trauma,” Swati said.
Additional superintendent of police Shiv Ram Yadav told HT that Singh’s mother named four persons, including Siddiqui, BSP state president Ram Achal Rajbhar and secretary Mewa Lal Gautam, besides several BSP supporters, in the FIR.
Tetra Devi backed her claim with newspapers cuttings mentioning BSP supporters’ abusive remarks against her family, Yadav said. Yadav said the FIR was registered under IPC section 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of caste and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman).
On Wednesday Mewa Lal Gautam had registered an FIR against Dayashankar Singh for his statement comparing Mayawati with a ‘prostitute’. The comment triggered a political storm ahead of the state polls early next year and thousands of BSP supporters staged a protest in Lucknow on Thursday demanding Singh’s arrest. Meanwhile, in Kanpur Swaran Swabhiman Samiti, a body that claims to be representing the upper caste, on Friday filed a complaint with the Collectorgunj police against Mayawati. Police said the complaint had been accepted and would be investigated. In Hajipur (Bihar) the Vaishali district court ordered registration of an FIR against Dayashankar Singh for his derogatory remarks against Mayawati.