Uttar Pradesh: SP's Swami Prasad Maurya shown black flags in Kaushambi; two detained by police

Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya was on Sunday shown black flags by a group of people, in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi.

Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya was on Sunday shown black flags by a group of people, in Uttar Pradesh's Kaushambi. Maurya was on his way to attend 'Rashtriya Bodh Mahotsav' in the Manjhanpur police station area.

In the visuals, protesters can be seen waving black flags at Murya's convoy, even as police personnel on duty try to push the demonstrators back. However, according to a senior police official, they have taken cognizance of the matter and have detained two people.

"Today, Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya was coming to attend 'Rashtriya Bodh Mahotsav' in the Manjhanpur police station area. On the way, some people protested and showed flags to his convoy...Police are taking legal action in the matter," Circle Officer Manjhanpur, Abhishek Singh. As of now, no case has been lodged into the matter.

Samajwadi Party national general secretary Swami Prasad Maurya, who joined the Akhilesh Yadav-led SP in January 2022, leaving the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of that year's assembly elections, held between February and March has been repeatedly making headlines for his provocative comments on sensitive issues including Ramcharitmanas to Sanatan Dharma and Hindu religion. Maurya had kicked up a controversy when he cited text from Ramcharitmanas to describe it as derogatory to women, Dalits and tribals. His comments on Sanatan Dharma also kicked up a row.

Recently, in December last year, Maurya was addressing a gathering under the aegis of Bahujan Adhikar Mahasammelan at Jantar Mantar which focused on reservations to OBCs and Dalits. Citing a census report, Maurya said, "There are only 3.5 per cent Brahmins, 3 per cent Kshatriya and 1.5 per cent Vaishyas. They cannot vote a government to power. Parties woo OBCs and Dalits for votes on the premise that they are all Hindus. Once the government is formed, OBCs, Dalits and tribals are stripped of the reservation that they are entitled to by the Constitution."

"Once elections are over, OBCs, Dalits and tribals are no longer Hindus. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and PM Narendra Modi have said that Hinduism is a way of life, but no one takes exception to their statements. But when Swami Prasad Maurya says Hinduism is not a religion but a 'dhokha' (deception) then there is a furore," Maurya had added. (ANI)

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