Bahujan Samaj Party Supremo and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati has resigned from Rajya Sabha. Her resignation comes a few hours after she walked out of the upper house threatenbing she would quit if she was not allowed to speak on atrocities against Dalits under the present NDA government. The BSP leader was asked to conclude her impromptu speech on the anti-Dalit violence in Saharanpur as she had exceeded the three minutes given to her. A furious Maywati threatened that she would right away resign if she was not allowed to speak in the House. “If I am not allowed to speak, I will resign right now. I will come and give my resignation at this moment,” Mayawati said.
Speaking to reporters outside parliament , the BSP leader said, ” When I tried speaking about the weaker sections today in the Rajya Sabha, I was not allowed to speak. Why? It’s a shame. If I can’t speak about our weaker sections in the House then I have no right to stay in the House. This is the reason I have decided to quit from Rajya Sabha, I am not being heard, not allowed to speak.”
After she walked out of the Rajya Sabha, opposition scuttled the proceeding of the Upper House leading to an adjournment. BJP leader and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi alleged that the BSP chief was attempting to score political points and not speak for Dalits. He also demanded an apology from Mayawati, claiming she had been disrespectful in Rajya Sabha and dared to challenge the Chair (presiding authority).
