"Nothing Wrong": BJP Lawmaker On Colleague's Offensive Mayawati Remarks

BJP MLA Surendra Singh on Monday came out in support of his party colleague Sadhana Singh, who raised a political storm for her offensive tweets against BSP chief Mayawati.

"The manner in which Mayawati has joined hands with the Samajwadi Party after the state guest house case of 1995 goes on to prove that she has no self-respect," said Surendra Singh, who represents Bariya constituency.

Mayawati "was a blot on womankind" having sold her "dignity for power", Sadhana Singh had said while addressing a rally on Saturday. After daylong rap from opposition parties, she clarified that she did not mean to hurt anyone.

The BJP lawmaker made the controversial remarks while referring to the infamous incident when Mayawati was assaulted by Samajwadi Party workers in a Lucknow guest house in 1995. "Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati sold her dignity for power and joined hands with those who disrespected her... She is a blot on womankind. Cannot say if she can be counted among men or women, she is worse than a transgender person," she had said.

Condemning her remarks, Union minister and Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale said such personal comments should not be made. BSP leader SC Misra tweeted, "BJP leaders have lost their mental balance after the BSP-SP tie-up" which, he said, threatened to rock the ruling party's boat.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and the Congress had also denounced Sadhana Singh for using objectionable remarks against Mayawati.