BSP workers stage protest, demand Amit Shah's resignation over remarks on Ambedkar

Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party workers on Tuesday held protests in parts of the state over Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on B R Ambedkar and demanded his resignation.

BSP chief Mayawati had earlier described Shah's remarks made in Rajya Sabha last week as deeply hurtful to Ambedkar's followers.

On Tuesday, BSP workers staged protests in parts of the state, including the state capital Lucknow, where people gathered in front of Ambedkar's statue in Hazratganj area.

Party workers, mostly men, carried copies of the Preamble and posters of Ambedkar in their hands and raised slogans.

One of the placards read: "Ambedkar ke samman mein, BSP maidaan mein" while another read: "Home Minister Amit Shah, Resign!" Sajeevan Lal, the former coordinator for BSP's Lucknow Zone said this protest has been organised at the call of Mayawati in response to the statement made by Amit Shah in Parliament, which insulted Babasaheb.

"We are staging this demonstration to demand action against Amit Shah and his resignation," Lal told PTI Videos.

"Many of our workers have joined the protest, but several others have been stopped far from the demonstration site. The administration is trying to completely derail our program, but wherever we are, we will continue to voice our protest," he said.

"We will organize a peaceful march and submit a memorandum to the District Magistrate of Lucknow. Through this memorandum, we will appeal to President Droupadi Murmu to immediately dismiss the Home Minister from the Cabinet," Lal added.

Similar protests were witnesses in districts like Auraiyya, Jalaun , Varanasi, Unnao, Firozabad, among others.

Mayawati had on Monday appealed for people's support for the nationwide protests.