Hours After BJP MLA Sadhana Singh Apologises for Insulting Mayawati, BSP Files Police Complaint

New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Ram Chandra Gautam on Sunday filed a police complaint against Uttar Pradesh MLA Sadhana Singh who stirred a controversy by calling Mayawati "worse than eunuch".

The Mughalsarai MLA, while addressing a gathering on Saturday, had said a woman who underwent a 'chirharan' (disrobe) is now compromising with the perpetrators, "she is worse than an eunuch".

The legislator's shocking statement came after SP and BSP announced an alliance for the Lok Sabha polls this year. The coming together of the two regional giants, after decades of bitterness, was considered a breakthrough, especially after the infamous 1995 'guest house incident'.

Though Singh initially refused to apologise for her statement, she later expressed regret, saying her remarks were only meant to remind Mayawati of the support BJP provided to her during the 1995 incident.

“My intention was not to insult anyone. I only wanted to remind Mayawati ji of the support BJP provided to her after the unfortunate guest house incident on June 5, 1995. I apologise if my words have caused grief to anyone," Singh said in her statement.

Addressing a press conference, Mayawati on January 12 said that she was ready to forgive and forget the 'guest house incident' during which she was held hostage by SP workers at the state guest house. The statement drew a sharp reaction from the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA, who went ahead to call the former UP CM "a person who is neither a man nor a woman".

Interestingly, son of Union Minister Rajnath Singh and Noida MLA Pankaj Singh was also present on stage when the legislator made derogatory comments.

Appalled by the statement, BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra slammed Singh as "mentally ill".

"This shows BJP's level, and their disappointment and frustration with the SP-BSP alliance. They do not have strength to win even a single seat in Uttar Pradesh. The level of language shows their mental illness. Such people should be admitted to the mental hospital in Agra or Bareilly. They have lost their mental balance in fear of losing the election in Uttar Pradesh," he said.

BSP's foe-turned-ally, Samajwadi Party, also condemned the statement. "The kind of words used for Mayawati by BJP's woman MLA from Mughalsarai is highly objectionable. I condemn the statement. BJP has become completely bankrupt when it comes to morals. They are just frustrated. The statement is an insult to the women of the country," party chief Akhilesh Yadav said.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo moto cognisance of Singh’s remarks and said a notice would be issued seeking her reply.

While announcing their tie-up, the former UP CM had sent out a clear message that from now, Mayawati's disrespect will be his disrespect. "From today onwards, all the SP workers should know that the disrespect of Mayawati ji will be my disrespect," he had said.

In the past, too, BJP leaders have made objectionable remarks against the BSP chief. In 2016, the then UP BJP vice president Daya Shanker was expelled for using derogatory language. However, post this incident Daya Shanker's wife Swati Singh was given BJP ticket in 2017 assembly elections and today, she is a minister in the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government.