Howrah News Service -  Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World: Mayawati seeks resignations of Jaiswal, Buta Singh

Mayawati seeks resignations of Jaiswal, Buta Singh
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NewsByte on 02 April, 2008 01:39:00
 
Addressing a press conference in the city, Mayawati said that it was highly
regrettable that Sri Prakash Jaiswal had gone to the extent of publicly opposing
the arrest of Tikait, who had committed a serious violation of the Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act, 1989. “Considering that such a statement
came from a minister entrusted with the charge of the country's law and order,
he has no moral authority to continue in that important office; he must
therefore resign immediately,” Mayawati said.
Flaying Buta Singh for his silence on the issue, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
chief said, “It was a matter of bigger shame that the head of the National
Commission for Schedules Castes and Scheduled Tribes failed to even react to
such blatant violation of the Act.”
She accused the past governments of being ineffective in enforcing the law
aimed at protection of Dalits. “It was the weakness of various governments
to effectively enforce the law that had prompted an ordinary man like Mahendra
Singh Tikait to publicly make derogatory remarks against someone from the
downtrodden section of society who has risen to the position of Uttar Pradesh
chief minister,” she added.
Making it clear that she will not condone any violation of the law, Mayawati
praised her officials for the successful 'Operation Tikait'. “My officials
have done a commendable job by ensuring Tikait's arrest without allowing the
situation to go out of hand,” she said.
Explaining the delay in the farmer leader's arrest, the chief minister said:
“Tikait could have been arrested on the very day he made those remarks,
but I instructed my officials to keep their calm and maintain balance.”
Tikait, the 73-year-old Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) chief, was arrested today
from his house in Muzaffarnagar for the allegedly ?casteist? remarks against
Mayawati. A warrant against him was issued on Monday, but a large contingent of
police force could do little, as he remained surrounded by his supporters.
(IANS)