Dayashankar Singh was expelled by the BJP for using derogatory remarks against BSP chief Mayawati.
Highlights
- Dayashankar Singh compared Mayawati to a prostitute
- He was expelled by the BJP yesterday
- UP police did not find him at his home in Ballia today
The Uttar Pradesh police is conducting searches across several cities in the state today to arrest
former BJP leader Dayashankar Singh, but has so far not managed to find him.
The Bahujan Samaj Party or BSP has filed a police case against Mr Singh under several laws including atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Tribes, insulting the modesty of a woman and promoting enmity between different groups, for his outrageous comment comparing its chief Mayawati to a prostitute.
When a police team reached Mr Singh's home in UP's Ballia district today, he was not home. Mr Singh's brother Dharmendra Singh said he had traveled 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. There have searches in at least six cities, including Azamgarh and state capital Lucknow.
Dayashankar Singh's brother has been detained for questioning.
Hundreds of BSP workers protested in the heart of Lucknow this morning; the party has now agreed to suspend its protest for 36 hours, after the police assured it that Mr Singh would be arrested by then.
"To the underprivileged I am like a Devi (Goddess). They are angry," said Ms Mayawati, thanking the people for what she described as spontaneous protests against Dayashankar Singh. She also said the BJP action against its leader fell short.
"He used very bad words...The BJP should have lodged an FIR against him. Sacking him for six years was very general action," she said.
The BJP first sacked Dayashankar Singh as a vice president in UP and then
expelled him for six years last evening, quickly swinging into action to limit damage from the controversy as the pace gathers for crucial elections in Uttar Pradesh, now months away.
As more opposition parties joined the BSP in demanding his arrest, union minister and senior BJP leader Uma Bharti said, "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."
BSP workers held a protest in Lucknow's Hazratganj area over the derogatory remark made against Mayawati.
In Parliament, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had on Wednesday expressed "personal regret" telling Ms 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."
"The country will not forgive the BJP for this," Ms Mayawati has promised.