Sadhana Singh, a lawmaker of the ruling BJP in Uttar Pradesh, has come under severe criticism from the opposition for offensive comments against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati. The BSP leader, she said, "was a blot on womankind". Ms Singh accused her of "selling her dignity for power" by joining hands with the Samajwadi Party.
"She (Mayawati) has no self-respect... she was almost molested earlier and yet... in history, when Draupadi was molested, she took a vow to seek revenge... but this woman, she lost everything, but still sold her dignity for the sake of power. We strongly condemn Mayawatiji. She is a blot on womankind. A woman who gulped insults for comfort and power...is a blot on womankind," Sadhana Singh said referring to the infamous episode when the BSP chief was assaulted by Samajwadi Party workers at a guest house in Lucknow in 1995 that triggered decades of animosity.
Mayawati's party said that the language of the BJP leader reflected the party's "frustration with the SP-BSP alliance". "They have lost their mental balance in fear of losing the election in Uttar Pradesh," said the BSP's Satish Chandra Mishra.