After being asked to restrict her impromptu speech, Mayawati resigns as Rajya Sabha member

Mayawati lost power in Uttar Pradesh in 2012 and her party was routed in this year's Assembly elections.

Pic courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Hours after the Chair asked her to restrict her impromptu speech on anti-Dalit violence in Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Tuesday resigned from the Rajya Sabha.

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

"I had wanted to raise issues in the morning relating to Dalits and about the atrocities committed on them in Saharanpur's Shabirpur village. But you saw the way the treasury benches, including ministers, behaved and prevented me from speaking. When I cannot convey what I want to, then I thought it is not okay," she told reporters.

"I decided I will resign. I have just met the Rajya Sabha Chairman (Hamid Ansari) and I have handed over my resignation from the House," the BSP chief added.

Mayawati has given a three-page resignation letter to Ansari which officials say may not be accepted because members quitting Parliament are expected to submit their resignation in a simple format and without conditions.

Earlier, in the Rajya Sabha, an angry Mayawati had said she will quit from 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 PJ Kurien asked her to wrap up her speech as she had exceeded the three minutes given to her to make her submission, as per PTI.

Mayawati, whose term in the Upper House is till April next year, argued with Kurien saying how can she be prevented from raising the issue about her 'samaj' (community) and the Dalits. "I have not finished. You cannot do this."

"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.

Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad, criticised the treasury benches and ministers for not allowing Mayawati to raise issues of concern to her. 

"I tried to persuade her from not resigning but I think she had already made up her mind," he said after Mayawati's resignation, as per IANS.

The BSP has five more members in the Rajya Sabha. Mayawati, 61, lost power in Uttar Pradesh in 2012 and her party was routed in this year's assembly elections, winning 19 seats in the 402-member House.

Amid noisy scenes, Kurien adjourned the House till noon. When the house met then, the disruption continued and the house was adjourned till 2 pm and later till 3.

When the house met at 3, some Congress members again came to the podium and raised slogans. The House was adjourned for the day.

(With Agency inputs)