Mayawati resigns from Rajya Sabha after being asked to restrict speech

Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati yesterday tendered her resignation as a Rajya Sabha member, hours after the Chair asked her to restrict her impromptu speech on anti-Dalit violence in Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh.

Mayawati met Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari yesterday evening and handed over her resignation letter.

"I met the chairman to hand over my resignation letter. It is not good that I cannot speak in the House on issues close to me... When I got up to speak, the government did not allow me to complete. Their members stood up and interfered. It is not good," she said after resigning. Earlier, in the Rajya Sabha, an angry Mayawati had said she will quit the house after the Chair asked her to restrict her impromptu speech.

"I will resign from Rajya Sabha today," a visibly anguished Mayawati shot back when Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked her to wrap up her speech as she had exceeded the three minutes given to her. Mayawati argued with Kurien saying how can she be prevented from raising the issue about her 'samaj' (community) and the Dalits.

"I have no moral right to be in the House if I am not allowed to put across my views on atrocities being committed against Dalits," she said.