Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President Mayawati believes her party colleagues regard her not just as their behenji (sister) but also as their devi (goddess).
They took to the streets in large numbers in Lucknow protesting the remarks made against her by Dayashankar Singh, until recently the vice-president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh. "If someone abuses your devi or devta, you would feel very bad," she said in the Rajya Sabha.
"I have not asked my party members in the country to come out on the streets." She demanded stricter action against Singh, who was expelled by the party after his tirade against Mayawati.
