Insult to Maharana Pratap in SP’s road show: Yogi leads BJP’S attack on SP; three held

“Case has been registered under sections 147 (riot), 188 (Disobedience to order promulgated by public servant), 295A (insulting religious beliefs), 504 (provocation to breach public peace), and Section 171H of the Indian Penal Code against unidentified accused,” the PRO said.

AGRA: Three accused were arrested after a case was registered at the Kotwali police station in Mainpuri against around 100 Samajwadi Party supporters for the ruckus created during the roadshow led by Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav in support of party candidate Dimple Yadav on Saturday night.

Samajwadi Party’s national spokesperson Ameeque Jamei denied the allegations. (HT photo)

The police identified the arrested accused based on viral video footage allegedly showing them climbing on and disrespecting the statue of Maharana Pratap on Saturday night. They were presented before the court and sent to jail.

“Three were arrested today for allegedly climbing on and disrespecting the statue of Maharana Pratap at Karhal crossing in Mainpuri on Saturday night. They were identified as Shailesh Yadav, Shivank, and Bhuvan Yadav, and were seen climbing onto the statue,” said Fateh Bahadur Singh Bhadoria, Kotwali police station in-charge in Mainpuri.

“All three were presented before the court in Mainpuri and were sent for judicial custody,” Bhadoria added.

The public relations officer at the Mainpuri Superintendent of Police (SP) Vinod Kumar’s office confirmed that a case had been registered at the Kotwali police station in Mainpuri against 90 to 100 unidentified Samajwadi Party workers for the disturbance created at the end of the roadshow at Karhal crossing in Mainpuri. Police are now gathering CCTV footage to identify the accused involved.

“Case has been registered under sections 147 (riot), 188 (Disobedience to order promulgated by public servant), 295A (insulting religious beliefs), 504 (provocation to breach public peace), and Section 171H of the Indian Penal Code against unidentified accused,” the PRO said.

BJP workers staged a protest at Maharana Pratap Chowk in Mainpuri on Sunday. They demanded action against the Samajwadi Party workers who insulted Maharana Pratap Singh, placed the party flag in the hands of the statue, and raised objectionable slogans insulting the prime minister, his family members, and the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

“All this happened at the end of the roadshow on Saturday in Mainpuri. The roadshow, held in support of Dimple Yadav and led by Akhilesh Yadav, turned into what can only be described as a ‘gunda show.’ These goons of the Samajwadi Party insulted the personality like Maharana Pratap by climbing on his statue at the crossing in Mainpuri,” alleged BJP candidate Jaiveer Singh, who is also the MLA from Mainpuri Sadar and the Minister of Tourism in the state cabinet.

“Samajwadi Party workers used objectionable language for the prime minister and chief minister. They seemed inclined to create caste conflict in the poll-bound Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat. President of SP Akhilesh Yadav should apologise for the insult made to Maharana Pratap, the prime minister, and the CM of UP,” said Singh.

He further said that Akhilesh Yadav was highly frustrated because voters had decided to vote against his party. Even Yadavs, their committed voters, were angry with them because SP leadership had denied tickets to dedicated party workers and had distributed tickets within family members.

Chief Minister Yogi Aditya on Thursday last led a road show in Mainpuri and had offered flowers as mark of respect to statue of Maharana Pratap.

“This reflects the mindset of the Samajwadi Party and its alliance partners, which insults patriotic national heroes and praises anti-national terrorists,” alleged chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday.

“The Samajwadi Party withdraws cases filed against terrorists who were involved in anti-national activities. The national president himself goes to pay tributes to ill-famed mafia at his home but could not pay tributes to Late Kalyan Singh, who played a great role in the development of UP state. I condemn this act in Mainpuri, and those guilty will not be spared,” stated the chief minister.

“This attitude is not limited to the Samajwadi Party but also to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who denied accepting the idol of Chatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj when offered in Maharashtra. The masses in the nation are watching all this and will give a befitting reply by voting against them in the election,” the chief minister added.

BJP workers have alleged that an attempt was made to bend the ‘bhala’ (javelin) of Maharana Pratap and a flag of the Samajwadi Party was placed in the hands of the statue.

Speaking to the media, the state president of BJP, Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary, condemned this act of insult and attempt to damage the statue of Maharana Pratap. He said it was highly condemnable that objectionable language was used for the PM and CM.

“It happened in the presence of Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav; thus he should apologise for the act,” said the state president of BJP.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party’s national spokesperson Ameeque Jamei denied the allegations.

“It is the Samajwadi Party which holds the flag in pride of Maharana Pratap, a great Kshatriya leader. The nationwide agitation of the Kshatriya community is not against the Samajwadi Party but against the BJP and the prime minister,” he said.

“The Kshatriya samaj is fighting for proper representation in parliament, but candidates from this community were deliberately left out in the BJP,” Jamei added.