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Shoe hurled at SP leader Maurya during party event
The shoe did not reach up to Maurya ; alleged assailant thrashed by Samajwadi Party workers and taken into custody by police personnel present on the spot
LUCKNOW A youth allegedly dressed as a lawyer hurled a shoe at Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Swami Prasad Maurya during a backward classes conclave organised by him at Lucknow’s Indira Gandhi Pratishthan on Monday. The shoe did not reach up to Maurya and party workers thrashed the alleged assailant.
The police took the youth, Akash Saini, into custody. It all happened around 12.30pm when Maurya arrived at the corridor of the auditorium.
The incident came a day after black ink was thrown at BJP’s OBC candidate for Ghosi assembly bypolls, Dara Singh Chauhan, on Sunday during campaigning.
Maurya had organised the conclave to highlight the work of eminent personalities from the backward classes of society. SP chief Akhilesh Yadav was the chief guest.
Yadav, who reached the venue an hour after the incident, hit out at the BJP. He said: “Yesterday, it was the BJP man who was responsible for the ink attack incident. Even in today’s incident, the man, in some way is of BJP...the BJP is rattled over the eroding public support and now it will have to give an account of its 10 years at the centre, and seven years in Uttar Pradesh. Who knows what the BJP would do before the elections.”
“The incident is sad and should not happen with any leader. SP Maurya is a leader of stature. He had been minister and leader of opposition. This government talks about zero tolerance. Is it under its zero-tolerance that leaders are being insulted,” he asked.
During his speech, Yadav said: “We have to be alert on BJP designs. The man who threw ink was a Yadav and the one who hurled the shoe is a Saini (both OBC castes).”
Referring to an old video of the youth (who hurled the shoe), Yadav said he seems to be a BJP man. The video purportedly shows the man in saffron clothes firing in the air with a rifle.
Swami Prasad Maurya, during his speech, said: “There were people who announced a bounty on my head…they are filled with so much venom and hatred, but I want to tell you that I can’t be intimidated or stopped in my mission of fighting for social justice and against caste discrimination.”
In January this year, the SP leader had said that the Ramcharitmanas written by Goswami Tulsidas used derogatory language against backwards, Dalits, tribals, and women; and recently said that the Badrinath Dham and Kedarnath Daam were originally Buddhist monasteries.
Hanumangarhi (Ayodhya) priest Raju Das, in a video statement, welcomed the attack. “Thanks to the attacker who hurled the shoe at someone who hurls abuses at Sanatan Dharma. Today, a shoe was hurled at Maurya…in the days to come, such attack would be on Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav because leaders in his party make insulting remarks on Sanatan dharma, and he does not take action against them.”
Responding to the video, former SP MLA from Ayodhya, Pawan Pandey, warned Raju Das through a video message: “We too live in the same Ayodhya, hope you are wise. Maintain dignity. One does not become a seer by his attire, but by conduct.”
Complaint against SP workers for thrashing accused
A complaint was submitted against SP workers at Vibhuti Khand police station on Monday night for allegedly thrashing the man who hurled a shoe at Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya during a party event at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan.
In his statement to police, Vikas Saini, brother of the accused, Akash Saini, 30, claimed: “When Swami Prasad Maurya entered the venue (IGP), his supporters told him that Akash had gone to attack the SP leader. At this, SP Maurya spat on him. Akash hurled a shoe at him, after which 40-50 SP workers thrashed him. He sustained a head injury.”
According to him, the SP workers objected Akash’s presence at the OBC mahasammelan, saying that people with long ‘teeka’ on their forehead and a particular hairstyle were not allowed at the event. “But my brother (Akash), who is an advocate, objected by saying he was on the list of invitees,” said Vikas.
Several members of the Hindu Mahasabha, including its national spokesperson Shishir Chaturvedi, came in support of Vikas Saini.
ACP (Lucknow) AV Singh said Akash Saini came to the event dressed as a lawyer. “He was detained from IGP when some people were thrashing him. He sustained injuries and was taken to Balrampur Hospital,” he said.
“We can’t talk to him at this moment as he is undergoing treatment,” added the officer.
