On the day after its Dalit president elect Ram Nath Kovind is predicted to make an easy win to India’s Presidentship, the ruling NDA under Modi refused the courtesy of a parliamentary debate to BSP supremo and Rajya Sabha member Mayawati on Tuesday when she began to speak on atrocities against Dalits under Modi’s NDA II. From Rohith Vemula, to Una to now the attacks on Dalits at Shabbirpur under Adityanath-ruled BJP, Mayawati was furious when she was not allowed to speak by the ruling party benches. While it is deputy chairman of the Rajya Sabha of the PJ Kurien who stopped her after three minutes, it was the blustering of ruling party benches that would not allow her to get a word in.
Janata Dal leader and 11 times member of parliament, Sharad Yadav was seen urging the chair to allow her to speak. CPIM’s Sitaram Yechury also said that Dalit atrocities were increasing under NDA II.
Mayawati has been speaking powerfully in Parliament on the attacks on Dalits and minorities. The recent UP state elections saw her party emerging third as a split vote ensured the BJP under Adityanath a sweeping win. Her resignation letter may or may not be accepted (as the format of the resignation is reportedly a one line one) but it is likely to sned a powerful message.
Ironically this comes on a day that the Modi government handed over the powerful portfolio of the I & B Ministry to the prime minister’s favourite Smriti Irani. Irani had been removed after her mis-handling of the Rohith Vemula case when her stand was perceived as singularly anti-Dalit. That and the attack on the universities, especially the Jawaharlal Nehru Universdity (JNU) happened under her watch. Now she’s back and in control of a powerful ministry where the media falls under her. As do the government’s channels like Doordarshan though technically the Prasar Bharati is supposed to be ‘independent.’
Mayawati’s resignation letter may be read here.
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2. Calling Smriti Irani’s Bluff: Twisted Truths in Parliament