BSP to launch stir against 'anti-Dalit' stand of BJP: Mayawati

NEW DELHI: Days after quitting Parliament, BSP chief Mayawati today said her party would launch a state- wide programme from September 18 to protest the "anti-Dalit" stand of the BJP.

She said as she had resigned from the Rajya Sabha on July 18 "not being allowed to speak the on anti-Dalit violence in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur", a conference of workers would be held on the 18th of every month beginning September.

Every month, party workers from two UP divisions would hold programmes in which she would also participate.

The agitational programme, beginning from Meerut, would continue till June next "to expose the BJP".

She announced the programme after holding a strategy session with party MPs, legislators and other leaders here.

The September date was decided as the monsoon would be over by then.

BSP supremo Mayawati's resignation from the Rajya Sabha was accepted today by chairman Hamid Ansari, a senior official of the Upper House said.

The 61-year-old had on Wednesday resigned from the RS, accusing the BJP and the Chair of not allowing her to raise the issue of "anti-Dalit violence" in Uttar Pradesh in the House.

The move was seen as an attempt by Mayawati to consolidate her core Dalit support base and re-establish herself as the community's prominent leader after facing a massive defeat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections earlier this year.

Her party could win only 18 seats while the BJP came to power by winning more than 300 of the 403 seats.

The BJP had termed her resignation as a "drama" and pointed out that her tenure in the House was anyway coming to an end in April next year.