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New Delhi, July 18: After the standoff between Mayawati and Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha P J Kurien failed to resolve, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief resigned from the Rajya Sabha. A war of words erupted earlier in the day in Rajya Sabha when Mayawati alleged she wasn’t allowed to speak on the issue of atrocities on Dalits. She was referring to the recent violence in the Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. Talking to reporters after resignation, Mayawati said, “Jab satta paksh mujhe apni baat rakhne ka bhi samay nahi de raha hai toh mera isteefa dena hi theek hai” [If the government is not allotting me the time to raise the issues, it is better to resign.]
Mayawati had demanded a discussion on the atrocities on Dalits. However, Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien told her she had already made her demand for a full discussion and should let the House conduct its business. Launching a scathing attack against the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh and Modi-led central government, she had said both remained “mute spectators” to the violence targeting Dalits in Saharanpur in May when their houses were torched and 15 Dalits injured. She said BSP leaders were not even allowed to visit the affected families.
As Kurien sought to stop Mayawati, she said: “If I am not allowed to talk, if I cannot represent the section of the society I belong to, if I am not allowed to put across my views on atrocities on Dalits, then there is no point in staying in the House. I will resign.” She then walked out in anger. The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said she was following B.R. Ambedkar’s example of having resigned as the Law Minister when he was not allowed to speak and table the Hindu Code Bill.
(With inputs from IANS)
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