Know the true reason why Mayawati resigned from Rajya Sabha

July 20, 2017:

Her current term in the Rajya Sabha was set to end April 2018.

BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) chief Mayawati’s resignation from the Rajya Sabha was accepted on Thursday by the House chairman.

BSP chief’s shocking resignation from the Parliament’s upper house came on Tuesday, when she quit for not being allowed to speak for longer than 3 minutes.

She said that she “wasn’t being allowed to speak” about atrocities against Dalits & minorities.

On 2nd day of the monsoon session of Parliament, Mayawati attempted to discuss the recent cases of lynchings & violence against Dalits & minorities, & also brought up the anti-Dalit violence in Saharanpur in May during the birth anniversary celebrations of B R Ambedkar-the Dalit icon.

The BSP chief said that “Since the time BJP has come to power, there’s been exploitation of Dalits, poor, minorities, & backward castes.”  “The Dalits were suppressed in Saharanpur but the govt. didn’t do anything about it. No community is safe in UP but the condition of the Dalits is worse,” she said.

Before she could discuss this issue further, Mayawati was asked to cut short her talk as she’d exceeded the 3 minutes given to her to make her submission. She did not like that.

“I haven’t finished, you can’t do this. I’ve no moral right to be in this House if I am not allowed to put across my views on the atrocities being committed against Dalits,” said Mayawati, whose term in the Rajya Sabha ends next April.

“If I am not allowed to speak right now, I’ll resign right away. I’ll come & give my resignation right now,” Mayawati threatened, before she actually went ahead & resigned later that day.

Rajya Sabha Chairperson P.J. Kurien tried to pacify her. He said, according to the rules, a Parliamentarian can only “ask for a discussion & not give a full speech.”

He said she can only call for a discussion, after giving a notice under the Rule 267, which seeks adjournment of the proceedings to take up an issue & not make a speech to initiate a discussion. Thereafter, a discussion can begin only after the Chairperson, on the advise of the govt, accepts the notice & agrees for a discussion, P.J. Kurien said.

The BSP chief nevertheless quit on Tuesday evening.