Uttar Pradesh lawmaker Savitribai Phule resigns from BJP, alleges party trying to create divisions in society

LUCKNOW: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Savitri Bai Phule, known for her controversial statements, has resigned from the party. In her parting jibe, she accused the BJP of "trying to create divisions in the society."

"I am resigning from BJP today. There's a conspiracy to end the Constitution and reservations for Dalit and backward classes," she said.

She promised to drop a bombshell in an upcoming rally on December 23 at Lucknow's Ramabai Ambedkar Ground. 

A Dalit MP from Bahraich, Phule was recently in news for her alleged controversial remarks on Dalits and Lord Hanuman. She claimed that Dalits and backwards are 'bandar' (monkey), 'rakshas' (demon) and that Hanuman was a Dalit and a slave of 'manuwadi' people. 

"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 as reported by PTI.

She had also called for installing a statue of Lord Buddha at the disputed site in Ayodhya.

"Excavations carried out at the disputed site in Ayodhya on the directions of the high court had found certain things associated with Lord Buddha," Phule claimed, adding "Therefore, a statue of Lord Buddha should be installed at the same place."

With Agency inputs