In a snub to Maneka Gandhi, Mayawati said if the BJP MP knew a mother's pain, she would not have endorsed the hate speeches of her son Varun Gandhi.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati hit back at Pilibhit MP Maneka Gandhi for saying, “Mayawati is not a mother, that’s why she would not understand a mother’s pain.”
Terming Maneka Gandhi’s remarks “insinuating,” the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief said, “Let me tell Maneka that even Mother Teresa did not have children but understood the feelings of millions of children.”
Mayawati, who is unmarried, added, “I want to say that Maneka is mother of one (Varun), while I take care of hundreds and understand the pain of crores of mothers.”
Reacting to Maneka’s charge that the arrest of Varun under the National Security Act (NSA) is illegal, Mayawati defended her administration’s decision to use the NSA.
“I am fully justified in taking the sternest action against him because what he did was unpardonable, and anyone indulging in such acts, no matter how high and mighty, would receive the same treatment in my regime and will not be spared under any circumstances,” she said.
Going on the offensive, she added, “Rather than teaching her son some manners and telling him how to behave, she is going about defending him, which is condemnable.” Mayawati demanded Maneka Gandhi should seek pardon from her and the entire country for her remarks.
“Maneka is so absorbed in love for her one son that she forgot that if there were any communal riots over Varun Gandhi’s remarks many mothers would have lost their sons.”
The war of words escalated later in the day with Maneka retorting, “Mother Teresa would never have got someone murdered on her birthday but it happened to an engineer,” in reference to the PWD engineer who was beaten to death for allegedly not arranging a contribution for the CM’s birthday celebrations on January 15. “Mother Teresa never indulged in corruption. Mayawati should learn a lesson from her,” Maneka said.
Meanwhile Varun Gandhi’s supporters have started an SMS campaign. Some of the SMSes read: “Maya has no ‘mamta’. Why is Maneka Gandhi denied access to Varun?” Another SMS read: “Stand against attack on democracy by Mayawati government by unwarranted imposition of the NSA on Varun.”
In a bid to ensure that the BJP does not derive political mileage out of the issue, the state government has issued a written clarification that no restrictions have been imposed in Maneka visiting her son. Varun is in jail in Etah under the NSA for allegedly delivering campaign speeches vilifying Muslims, and Maneka was upset after being told she couldn’t meet him till April 7.
—with inputs from agencies
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