Indian Vice President accepts Mayawati’s resignation from Rajya Sabha

Rajya Sabha chairman and Vice President of India Hamid Ansari accepted Bhaujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati’s resignation on Thursday, two days after the Dalit leader quit her post from the house alleging that she was not being allowed to speak on Dalit and minority issues. 

Mayawati’s term in the house was set to end on April 2018. 

The Dalit leader on Tuesday, the second day of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament, attempted to discuss the recent cases of lynching on name of ‘gau-raksha’ and other violent incidents being carried out on Dalits and minorities. 

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Early in the day she threatened to quit her position from the house after she was asked to cut short her speech before she could put her point.

Before walking out of the parliament she had said, “I have not finished. I have no moral right to be in the House if I am not allowed to put my views on atrocities being committed against Dalits. If I'm not allowed to speak right now, I will resign right away.”

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Later in the day she gave submitted a three-page resignation letter to the Indian Vice President. In the letter she wrote, “When the ruling party is not allowing me to present my view on Dalit issues, then I think it is better for me to resign.”

Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, P. J. Kurien, talking to the media said, “I saw her standing and gave her three minutes (to speak) bypassing the Leader of Opposition.”

He added, “No one of us are happy about her resignation. We all have a lot of respect for her as senior leader.”