Madhya Pradesh Assembly today witnessed ruckus as BSP MLAs protested the derogatory remarks against their party chief Mayawati questioning her character by Dayashankar Singh and sought his arrest, forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House twice during the Question Hour.
The four BSP MLAs in the state, sporting blue cap and 'dupatta' and displaying the party symbol, raised the issue during the Question Hour and rushed to the well of the House demanding the now expelled BJP leader's arrest for the derogatory remarks and tabling of Censure Motion.
Congress legislators also supported their demand.
BSP MLAs, Usha Choudhry and Sheela Tyagi, led by their Legislative Party Leader Satyaprakash Sakhwar, persisted with their demand despite the Chair directing them to go back to their seats. Following this, Speaker Sitasharan Sharma adjourned the House for 10 minutes.
Opposing BSP's demand, state Legislative Affairs Minister Narottam Mishra said the issue can't be raised in the House as it is matter pertaining to Uttar Pradesh and advised them to raise it in Parliament through their leaders.
"We have given a notice for tabling Censure Motion on the issue of derogatory statement made by Dayashankar against our leader Mayawati and demanded that it should be immediately accepted. Besides we also demand his immediate arrest," BSP MLA Sheela Tyagi said outside the House.
Senior Congress MLA Ajay Singh and another party member Jeetu Patwari supported the BSP members' demand and pressed for tabling the Censure Motion against Singh.
They also termed BJP as an "anti-Dalit party" and said if it did not heed to BSP's demand, then it will be construed that it is against SC and ST.
Later, when the House assembled again and the Speaker
resumed the Question Hour, the three BSP MLAs along with their fourth member Balbir Dandotia rushed to the well of the House with Congress legislators supporting them.
At this point, Mishra reiterated that the issue can't be raised in the House.
Reacting to Congress' opposition, he said, "Why don't you wake up your leader (referring to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi reportedly seen sleeping in the Lok Sabha) and raise this issue in Parliament."
Congress MLAs including Ramniwas Rawat and others strongly opposed Mishra's comments with both sides targeting each other on the issue.
When BSP members did not go back to their seats and continued to disrupt the Question Hour, the Speaker again adjourned the House for 10 minutes.
Dayashankar Singh, in Uttar Pradesh had yesterday stoked a major row by making derogatory remarks against BSP chief Mayawati questioning her character, that drew severe condemnation from parties, while an embarrassed BJP expressed regret and later expelled him from the party.
