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For abusing Mayawati by BJP leader ruckus in parliament, Dayashankar Singh loses UP job

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 20, Jul 2016, 19:23 pm IST | UPDATED: 21, Jul 2016, 8:39 am IST

For abusing Mayawati by BJP leader ruckus in parliament, Dayashankar Singh loses UP job New Delhi: Acting quickly to stem a snowballing controversy in a crucial state, the BJP today sacked its Uttar Pradesh leader Dayashankar Singh over his outrageous comments on camera comparing rival political leader Mayawati to a prostitute.

The BJP removed Mr Singh as a vice president in Uttar Pradesh soon after Finance Minister Arun Jaitley expressed 'personal regret' in Parliament, telling Mayawati: "It is not right and I condemn the use of this word and if a person has said this, we will investigate. I express personal regret. I associate with your dignity and stand with you."

In comments that are too offensive to be reproduced verbatim, Mr Singh said on Tuesday: "Mayawati is selling tickets (to contest polls)...She is a three-time chief minister but she gives tickets to anyone who gives her Rs. 1 crore. If someone comes with 2 crores in the afternoon, she gives him a ticket. If somebody comes with 3 crores in the evening, she dumps the previous candidates and picks him. Today her character is worse than that of a prostitute."

Lacerated by critics, Mr Singh apologized and said: "I can't even think of Mayawatiji that way. She has come up after a lot of struggle."

But it was not enough to save his job.

He was one of the 15 BJP vice presidents in Uttar Pradesh, where campaigning for elections next year has picked up both pace and aggression. The BJP is eager to take forward its massive gains in the state in the 2014 national eleciton, when it won 73 of 80 Lok Sabha seats along with allies.

Mayawati's response to the BJP's apology in the Rajya Sabha was a long monologue laced with anger and righteous indignation. "I did not marry and considered the entire country's oppressed my family.  Everyone calls me sister or behenji even in Parliament. What that BJP leader said, he said to his sister and his daughter. The country will not forgive the BJP for this," she thundered.

Other opposition parties rallied behind her, condemning Mr Singh in one voice, forcing the BJP to make quick amends.

"The comments show the BJP's mindset," said Congress member Kumari Selja.

"This is not only a women's issue. This is a man's issue. The problem is with men making these statements," said Trinamool's Derek O'Brien.

The controversy hit the government at a time opposition parties were already ranged against it on the thrashing and humiliation of four Dalit men in Gujarat for skinning a dead cow.

Mayawati was among the opposition leaders who raised the incident forcefully in Parliament and accused the government of ignoring atrocities against Dalits.
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