LUCKNOW Breaking his silence over senior social gathering colleague and MLC Swami Prasad Maurya’s controversial and repeated statements on Ramcharitmanas, Samajwadi Get together nationwide president Akhilesh Yadav indicated solidarity with Maurya and made a fierce assault on the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP) on Saturday, saying: “The BJP considers us backwards and dalits as shudras (untouchables).”
Akhilesh Yadav’s assertion to newspersons got here hours after Swami Prasad Maurya referred to as on him. Their assembly on the social gathering workplace lasted just a little over an hour. “The BJP has an issue with us going to ‘their’ non secular locations and in search of blessings from sant-mahatamas (seers),” Akhilesh stated to the newspersons ready outdoors the venue of a non secular occasion he attended within the state capital. To a direct query on his stand on Swami Prasad Maurya, Akhilesh stated: “I’ve requested him to take ahead the work on the caste census”.
‘BJP despatched goons to assault me’
“Immediately I attended the ‘108 kundiya yagya’ and sought blessings from Maharaj Dandi Swami Ramashreyji, Yogi Rakesh Nath Yagyadhakshyaji and Mritunjaya Bharavi ji of Madhya Pradesh’s Pitambari Peeth on the yagya held on the banks of Gomti river”.
“…However BJP males disturbed the non secular ritual. Some BJP staff tried to stop me from going to the occasion. They even jostled with some disciples and folks. Some BJP, RSS males are threatening the saints and organisers who had invited me,” stated Akhilesh in an announcement issued within the night.
He additional stated that he had gone there out of devotion and reverence, so what drawback did the BJP have with this? The BJP was chargeable for anarchy on the venue of the occasion, he stated.
“To stop me from going to the yagya, the BJP despatched some goons. They attacked us, whereas the administration withdrew safety from the venue beforehand and the restricted variety of policemen on the spot selected to stay mute spectators. The BJP should keep in mind that when time modifications, they too may have this type of remedy”, he stated.
“…Now I perceive why my NSG safety cowl was withdrawn, why my safety was decreased and why my home (the CM residence), was washed with Gangajal after I vacated it. As a result of we imply nothing to the BJP,” he stated.
Quickly after the assembly with Akhilesh, Maurya stated that he would write to the central authorities on the caste census.
Requested if Akhilesh stood by him relating to his assertion on Ramcharitmanas, Maurya instructed the ready newspersons: “Akhilesh ji is the nationwide president of the social gathering. He’ll make an announcement on the acceptable time.”
He additionally stated {that a} petition can be despatched to the central authorities demanding a caste census. “To supply justice to the SC, ST and backward courses of this nation, the social gathering will demand a caste-based census. For this, we’ll write a letter to the Central authorities”, he stated.
Maurya’s statements over the week
To notice, final Sunday Swami Prasad Maurya demanded that the federal government ban Ramcharitmanas written by Goswami Tulsidas or delete sure parts of it, saying that the Hindu textual content had painted a foul image of the bulk inhabitants of backwards and dalits. Maurya had stated Tulsidas accorded low caste to ‘Shudras’. He had stated: “Crores of individuals have both not learn or don’t learn Ramcharitmanas. All that is garbage. This was written by Tulsidas for his personal happiness.”
Two days later, on Tuesday a Lucknow resident lodged an FIR in opposition to him for “hurting non secular sentiments”. The FIR was lodged on the Hazratganj police station. He was booked below IPC sections 295-A, 298, 504, 505(2), and 153-A. Part 295-A offers with deliberate and malicious acts supposed to outrage the non secular emotions of any class by insulting faith or non secular beliefs. Maurya responded by saying: “I can’t withdraw my statements”.
The following day, Maurya–responding to calls for of some BJP leaders and a piece of leaders from the Samajwadi Get together–said he wouldn’t apologise and reiterated his statements.
On Friday, referring to a Hindu Mahasabha chief’s Monday announcement of a financial reward to chop off his (Maurya’s) tongue over the feedback, Swami Prasad Maurya requested why such individuals weren’t seen as “terrorists and butchers”. He stated: “If an individual from some other faith had talked about beheading somebody or chopping off somebody’s tongue, he would have been branded as terrorists. If mahants are speaking about beheading me and chopping off my tongue, are they not terrorists and butchers?”