In an unusually emotional response, Mayawati said that everyone refers to her as “behenji” and she has never used derogatory or personal remarks against anyone.
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But the BSP has refused to back off, alleging that the ruling Samajwadi Party in the state was hand-in-glove with the BJP and had arranged a safe hideout for Singh.
The BJP in Gorakhpur announced that it would stage a demonstration in each district Saturday to protest the “abusive language” used against Dayashankar’s family members. They certainly did in Uttar Pradesh within just 24 hours for two players – the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
The expelled leader Dayashankar Singh meanwhile continues to abscond although he is expected to surrender on Friday.
In a swift action following outrage over Dayashankar Singh’s controversial remarks, the BJP had on Wednesday expelled him.
Thousands of angry BSP workers thronged the central avenues of Lucknow on Thursday, burning Singh’s effigies and demanding his arrest.
BJP has already sacked its vice president Singh from all party posts after his derogatory remarks against Mayawati which sparked massive uproar and pushed the saffron party in a tight corner. “I want to appeal to the entire police department that they should not accept the wrong orders of the Chief Minister and should cooperate with the people and not register any fake cases”, he said.
In the run up to 2014 general elections, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar had mocked at Narendra Modi’s humble beginning and said he can never be the Prime Minister of India, but can sell tea at Congress party convention.
BJP secretary, Shrikant Sharma said in New Delhi that his party took Singh’s slur against Mayawati very seriously and expelled him from the party but she is justifying Siddiqui’s derogatory language which is condemnable.
However, the BSP leader stuck to her remarks and told reporters after the protest that she stands by what she has said.
Maintaining that the BJP “did the right thing” by sacking Dayashankar, Katheria said an FIR had been registered against him, and that the law would take its own course. “My daughter, who is a minor, is in a state of shock after the incident”.
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Though the issues of exploitation by anti-social elements in Gujarat was raised by Ms. Mayawati, the government has failed to take any action against those involved in violence against Dalits, he added.
