Bahujan Samaj Party workers on Thursday evening called off their protests across Uttar Pradesh hours after thousands of took to the streets to protest against suspended Bharatiya Janata Party leader Dayashankar Singh's derogatory remarks against Mayawati. BJP gave Singh a six-year suspension from the party after he said the BSP chief and former chief minister was "worse than a prostitute" when it came to selling party tickets.

Protesting in front of BR Ambedkar's statue in Lucknow's Hazratganj locality, party workers burnt effigies of Singh, broke through police barriers and shouted slogans, News18 reported. They also demanded that police arrest Singh, who was removed from the post of BJP's state unit vice president.

Meanwhile, police reached Singh's house in Uttar Pradeh's Ballia district to arrest him on Thursday, but the former BJP leader was not traceable. Police had filed an FIR against him under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Scheduled Cast and Scheduled Tribe Act after the BSP lodged a complaint. They assured party workers that he will be arrested within 36 hours. The party's Chandigarh unit chief, Jannat Jahan, said she will award a person Rs 50 lakh for removing Singh's tongue, ANI reported.

Reacting to the agitation in Lucknow, Minister of Information and Broadcasting Venkaiah Naidu said the party had taken action against Singh and the "issue has ended now". He added, "Let protests happen. BSP knows that BJP is moving forward in UP and that their main fight is with the BJP."