'Nothing wrong in Sadhana Singh's remarks against Maya'

BJP MLA Surendra Singh Monday came out in support of his party colleague Sadhana Singh, who raised a political storm by calling BSP chief Mayawati "worse than a transgender", saying there was nothing wrong in her remarks.

"There is nothing wrong in what Sadhana Singh said...any person who has zero self-respect is called a transgender," the MLA from Bariya constituency said while talking to reporters here.

"The manner in which Mayawati has joined hands with the Samajwadi Party after the state guest house case of 1995 goes on to prove that she has no self-respect," he added.

On police complaint against Sadhana Singh, he said, "How will the case be filed...we will protest against it."

Sadhana Singh, a legislator from Uttar Pradesh's Mughalsarai, had at a rally Saturday called the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief a "blot on womankind" and "worse than a transgender", following which the BJP MLA issued an apology, clarifying that she did not mean to hurt anyone.

The BJP lawmaker made the controversial remarks while referring to the infamous incident when Mayawati was assaulted by Samajwadi Party workers in a Lucknow guest house in 1995.

"Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati sold her dignity for power and joined hands with those who disrespected her... She is a blot on womankind. Cannot say if she can be counted among men or women, she is worse than a transgender person," she had said.

Condemning her remarks, Union minister and Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale said such personal comments should not be made.

BSP leader S C Misra tweeted, "BJP leaders have lost their mental balance after the BSP-SP tie-up" which, he said, threatened to rock the ruling party's boat.

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and the Congress had also denounced Sadhana Singh for using objectionable remarks against Mayawati.