Uttar Pradesh lawmaker and Dalit MP Savitri Bai Phule resigned from the BJP Thursday, alleging the party is trying to “create divisions in society”. Phule has consistently criticized the BJP government at both levels of the country.
She said her objective was to get the Constitution of India implemented in letter and spirit. “I have resigned from the party. But I will continue as a Lok Sabha member till the end of my tenure,” she said in Lucknow.
Inquired about the Ayodhya dispute, Phule went against her party and said the country needs a “constitution, not a temple.”
She said she will launch an agitation to champion the cause of Dalits from December 23, PTI reported.
On Tuesday, Phule claimed that Lord Hanuman was “a Dalit and a slave of ‘manuwadi’ people”, following UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityananth’s remark that the Hindu deity was a Dalit. She alleged that Dalits and backwards were being called ‘bandar’ (monkey) and ‘rakshas’ (demon).
“Lord Hanuman was a Dalit and a slave of ‘manuwadi’ people. He was a Dalit and a human. He did all for Lord Ram then why he was given a tail and his face was blackened. Why was he made a monkey?,” Phule said. “When he did all for Lord Ram with devotion, he (Lord Hanuman) should have been made a human and not a ‘bandar’ (monkey). At that time also he had to face humilation due to being a Dalit. Why can’t we Dalits be considered humans?”, she said.
Phule had earlier questioned the BJP leaders dining at the houses of Dalits and had termed the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah, “a mahapurush” (great personality), causing controversy.
(With inputs from PTI)
