BSP stalls protests after cops promise expelled BJP leader will be arrested

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh police are on the hunt for expelled BJP leader Dayashankar Singh, who caused massive outrage on Wednesday by comparing Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati to a prostitute.

The police reached the politician's house only to find he was missing. Singh's brother Dharmendra Singh said he had travelled to Gorakhpur for a function to be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But by the time the police reached Gorakhpur, about 175 km away, the politician had left town. Thereafter, searches were conducted in at least six cities, including Azamgarh and Lucknow.

But BSP workers and supporters, who were protesting Singh's remarks against Mayawati, on Thursday decided to postpone their protest for 36 hours, after the police assured them the expelled BJP leader would be arrested by then.

Meanwhile, Mayawati seems to have softened her stance on the issue. "I respect BJP's decision to expel Dayashankar Singh," Mayawati said adding that had the BJP filed an FIR against Singh, it could have won her heart.

Earlier, thousands of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers participated in a major protest in Lucknow, demanding the arrest of sacked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Dayashankar Singh for his remarks. The workers held a protest before the Ambedkar statue in Hazratganz area.

BSP workers from different districts had been asked to reach the state capital to lodge a strong protest against the remarks made by the BJP leader, the party said. At least 500 to 1000 workers from each district started arriving in the night itself.

During the protest, BSP workers burnt an effigy of the now-former BJP vice-president for Uttar Pradesh. Heavy security was deployed in the area and traffic diverted.

BSP on Wednesday filed a police complaint seeking lodging of an FIR against BJP leader Dayashankar Singh under the SC/ST Act for his derogatory comments against its president Mayawati.

BSP leaders, led by Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Naseemuddin Siddiqui, submitted the complaint at the Hazratganj Kotwali.

The complaint, which was lodged by national secretary of BSP Mewalal Gautam, alleged that Singh's remarks in Mau earlier in the day have hurt the feelings of BSP workers and the Dalit community across the country and were aimed at provoking them.

Referring to Singh's comments being telecast on national TV channels, he said they were so derogatory that they could not be mentioned in the complaint and so a CD of the same was being submitted.

"Singh was aware that his offensive comments could trigger a strong reaction and riot," the complaint said, adding that this amounted to an offence under the Atrocities Against SC/ST Act 1989 and a case need to be lodged against him.

An FIR has been lodged against Singh under the SC/ST Act and other sections, police said.

BSP had given a call for dharna in the state capital on Thursday to press for Singh's immediate arrest. The Samajwadi Party-ruled state government also condemned the remarks of the BJP leader and said stern action will be initiated as per the law on the basis of the FIR.

BJP first removed Singh from all party posts on Wednesday, and then expelled him from the party for six years, later in the evening.

But BJP expressed disappointment over Thursday's protests. “We have taken action against Dayashankar, the issue has ended now. Dayashankar Singh gave an objectionable statement, so we removed him from party for 6 years,” Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said.

Giving a political angle to the protests, Naidu said that the BSP knew that the BJP is 'moving forward' in UP, and their main fight (in the 2017 elections) is with BJP.

Union Minister Uma Bharti also sought to link Mayawati's agitation with the upcoming state elections. "If Mayawatiji is attacked again, we will stand with her again. But if she wants to use this in the elections then she should forget about it," said the firebrand leader.

Meanwhile, not to be left behind, BSP MLA Usha Chaudhary launched a personal attack on Dayashankar Singh. "I think there is something wrong in his DNA. He is an illegitimate child," she said.