Mayawati attacks Mulayam Singh Yadav over 'shrimati' remark

LUCKNOW: Hours after Mulayam Singh Yadav's jibe at her, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Wednesday launched an attack on the samjawadi Party chief, saying he should be sent to a mental asylum.

At a rally in Faizabad, Mulayam said: "Unko kya kahen yeh samajh mein nahi aata ... Shrimati kahen, kunwari beti ya beahenji kahen" (I am at a loss on how to address her .. whether to address her as shrimati, kunwari or behenji)". Mulayam's remark was seen as directed at Mayawati as it came soon after he referred to BSP founder Kanshiram.

The comment provoked Mayawati enough to call a press conference where she made a frontal attack on the SP chief. "Everybody knows how he treated his first wife ... Does he address his grand children as Shriman and Shrimati instead of brother and sister?"

While demanding that EC should take note of Mulayam's speech and ban him from addressing any more public rallies, Mayawati said, "Mulayam should be sent to the mental asylum in Agra."

The BSP chief also reacted to Mulayam's comments on the BSP founder that "it was Kanshiram who suggested that the disputed land in Ayodhya be turned into a toilet". Mayawati accused the SP of spreading this "rumour" for long.

At the rally, Mulayam had particularly targeted the BSP. "Muslims in Faizabad know who has done what for them, who has taken risks and who has made mere promises. SP has always stood by Muslims and stood by what it has promised to Muslims," he said.