BJP VP Baby Rani Maurya urges women not to visit police station post 5 pm; AAP cries foul

Indirectly casting aspersions on the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh, BJP national vice president Baby Rani Maurya urged women to not visit the police station after 5 pm. Giving this piece of advice at a function in Varanasi on Friday, she highlighted that a male relative should preferably accompany a woman it is absolutely essential for her to go to the police station in the evening. Latching on to this controversial comment, AAP's UP in-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh stated "Beti Bachao" (save the girl child). 

Former Uttarakhand Governor Baby Rani Maurya remarked, "A women officer and a sub-inspector sit there. But I will say one thing- never go to the police station after 5 pm, after it gets dark. Go the next morning. If it is extremely necessary to go, take along your brother, husband, or father". 

Baby Rani Maurya back in active politics ahead of UP polls

In the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election, BJP won a whopping 312 seats in the 403-member House, whereas BSP could win only 19 seats. On the other hand, the SP-Congress alliance failed to bear fruit as it could win in only 54 constituencies. While this was seen as a mandate for PM Modi as BJP had not declared any CM candidate, Gorakhpur MP Yogi Adityanath was a surprise pick for the post. For the upcoming Assembly election, the saffron party is facing a challenge from SP, BSP, Congress and smaller alliances such as the 'Bhagidari Sankalp Morcha'.

Having served as the Mayor of Agra from 1995 to 2000, Baby Rani Maurya narrowly lost to her BSP opponent from the Etmadpur seat in the 2007 Assembly polls. On August 26, 2018, she took oath as the Uttarakhand Governor becoming the second woman Governor of the state after Margaret Alva. In an unexpected development, Maurya stepped down from her post on September 8, 2021, and was appointed as the BJP vice president by party president JP Nadda 12 days later. Speculation is rife that she will be pitted against BSP supremo Mayawati in a bid to win over Dalit voters.