Mayawati-Dayashankar and prostitute slur: Singh's wife, mom file FIR against BSP protesters for using abusive language

Soon after former vice-president of BJP in Uttar Pradesh, Dayashankar Singh called Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati “worse than a prostitute”, instigating BSP MLAs to protest against the derogatory comment, his mother and wife have complained against the abusive language used by protesters. [caption id=“attachment_2910362” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Dayashankar Singh. PTI[/caption] Singh’s mother lodged an FIR against Mayawati and BSP national general secretary Naseemuddin Siddiqui, state president Ram Achal Rajbhar and other unidentified party leaders on charges of insulting and abusing the family during the party’s protest in Lucknow on Thursday, reported The Indian Express. The FIR was filed at Hazratganj Police Station under IPC Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, etc), 504 (insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman). Tetra Devi, Singh’s mother said that BSP protesters shouted abuses at her, Singh’s sister and daughter. Led by Siddiqui, the protestors were allegedly shouting, “present your daughter, sister, mother, wife before us.” The Economic Times quoted Singh’s wife Swati Singh as saying, “What my husband said may have been wrong and he apologised. But the shameful things said about me and my daughter by BSP leaders on Thursday are equally wrong. They questioned our honour and called us all kinds of things. My daughter is in depression and we demand police action against all those leaders who made remarks against us.” Aside from Singh’s mother filing a complaint against the mob, Swati told ANI that she wanted Protection of children from sexual offenses (POCSO) Act to be imposed on Mayawati and Siddiqui for harassing her daughter with abusive remarks.

I want POCSO act to be imposed against Mayawati ji and Naseemuddin ji: Swati Singh,wife of Dayashankar Singh pic.twitter.com/7NDbGneBE8

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 23, 2016

The Act defines different forms of sexual abuse as well as sexual harassment and pornography. This Act expanded the definition of sexual abuse to include visual, verbal and physical sexual abuse as well. It also provides for strict punishment for the accused. However, punishment has also been provided for making a false complaint or providing false information. The BJP and Singh’s family seems to be shifting the blame to Mayawati by referring to Siddiqui’s abuses . The BJP had on Friday demanded an apology from her for Siddiqui’s abusive language targeting Singh’s family. “Siddiqui said Singh’s daughter should be presented before the crowd. This is an insult to the woman; sisters and daughters. We condemn Mayawati’s justification for it,” BJP’s national secretary Shrikant Sharma said. Mayawati had remarked that she did not ask any party workers to protest against Singh’s comment. However, “People from weaker sections of society cutting across party lines respect me a lot, they treat me as goddess… And if you say bad things about their goddess they will feel bad and are bound to protest,” she added.