DNA, July 20, 2017
Opposition parties joined Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, PJ Kurien on Wednesday when he asked BSP chief Mayawati to take back her resignation, saying he never meant to disrespect her when he asked her to conclude speech after the prescribed three minutes.
“None of us are happy about her resignation. I have utmost respect for her. It was just a misunderstanding. We regard her as a senior leader. The House will ask her to reconsider her decision,” said Kurien asking BSP leader Satish Chandra Misra to convey the feelings of the House to her.
Kurien was responding to Misra when he said the entire treasury bench had been instructed to stand and shout when Mayawati stood up to speak.
“They did not allow her to speak. She spoke for two minutes and nine seconds in breaks, and would have even finished in three minutes,” Misra said.
While Mayawati could not be contacted, BSP sources told DNA that she is still adamant and not responding. On Tuesday a BSP source had said that Mayawati was keen to take on the BJP to build up her party and may contest from Phulpur constituency that will lie vacant after Keshav Prasad Maurya, deputy chief minister in Yogi Government resigns from it.
Leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad joined Kurien and said, “we should request her to reconsider her resignation”.