Samajwadi Party MLC Swami Prasad Maurya has been booked in Raebareli district for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with his statements during the unveiling of a statue of BSP founder Kanshi Ram on Monday. At the event, also attended by party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Maurya allegedly made objectionable remarks about Lord Ram. Maurya was booked under IPC section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) at Kotwali police station on Tuesday on a complaint lodged by an office bearer of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, Marut Tripathi. Raebareli ASP Naveen Kumar Singh said, “A complaint was submitted by one person that at a public gathering on Monday, objectionable remarks were made by Swami Prasad Maurya. Based on facts and findings of the probe, further action will be taken.” “On April 3, a video went viral on social media, in which SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya says ‘Mile Mulayam, Kanshi Ram; hawa mein udd gaye Jai Shri Ram'. This has hurt Sanatan Dharm. And, it will also destroy and affect the peace in society,” Tripathi stated in his complaint. Maurya, however, said there was no reason for an FIR against him but “they” have lodged it still. “I will explore my legal options. I don't want to politicise the issue but the government is working with hostility nowadays,” he alleged. He said when he talked about the rights of women, backwards and Dalits, some people made derogatory remarks against him in the name of religion and even threatened him. “Some gave a 'supari' (ransom) for my murder while someone, waiving a sword, said 'I will kill Swami Prasad Maurya' but no action has been taken against them till date",” he alleged. Maurya, an OBC leader, has two cases lodged against him in Lucknow over his Ramcharitmanas remarks, as he claimed that the epic poem has “objectionable language” for Dalits, tribals and backward class. Maurya's remarks came days after Bihar Education Minister Chandra Shekhar, too, claimed that Ramcharitmanas contained several objectionable remarks over caste. Maurya switched over to the BJP from the BSP ahead of the 2017 Assembly elections. Five years later, ahead of the 2022 Assembly elections, he left the BJP and joined the SP. After he lost the Assembly election, the SP got him elected to the UP Legislative Council. —With PTI Inputs
