Slamming the derogatory remarks made by BJP’s Daya Shankar Singh against Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Wednesday said atrocities against women politicians continue to happen.
In a strongly-worded statement, Ms. Jayalalithaa said Ms. Mayawati was respected by all as a peerless leader of the oppressed communities.
The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had been raising her voice in Parliament against atrocities on Dalits in Gujarat, she said.
“Maybe because of this, Mr. Daya Shankar Singh, a vice-president of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, has criticised Ms. Mayawati in an obscene and disgusting manner. Criticising those holding different political opinion in such a derogatory manner can never be accepted,” she added.
Pointing out that she herself had been at the receiving end of such attacks, she exuded confidence that at least after this event, such assaults on women politicians would end. “My heart goes out to Ms. Mayawati, who has received such verbal whiplashes,” she said.
Welcoming the regret expressed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over the incident in Parliament and the removal of Mr. Singh from party post, she, however, said the action was not enough. “I urge the BJP president to remove him from the party,” she said.
