Swami Prasad Maurya quits SP, says Akhilesh Yadav has lost his way both on secularism and socialism

Maurya, who resigned not just from the primary membership of the Samajwadi Party but also as a Member of the Legislative Council, wrote in his resignation letter addressed to Akhilesh, “I got the opportunity to work under your leadership in a cordial atmosphere. However, after the February 12 dialogue and my letter on February 13, no dialogue was initiated from you side. That is why I am giving my resignation letter from the primary posts of Samajwadi Party.”

While Maurya has said he will reveal his future plans at a public meeting in Delhi on Thursday, sources said he was likely to float a party of his own for the upcoming elections.

Asked about the reason for his sudden exit from the Samajwadi Party, which had made him an MLC, Maurya said of Akhilesh, “Unka secularism sabke samne aa gaya hai.. Jis PDA ka unhone nara diya uski khud hawa unhone nikal di. Jo khud andhere mein hai, woh dusaron ko ujale mein kaise le ja sakta hai?” (His secularism has been exposed. He has betrayed the PDA slogan given by himself… How can a person living in darkness show light to others?)

Alleging that Akhilesh had lost his way and was neither on this side nor on that side, Maurya said, “Jo… na idhar hai na udhar hai woh dusaron ko rasta kaise dikha sakta hai?”

Maurya went on to target the Samajwadi Party for organising a puja at a party office recently, maintaining that even the BJP does not perform pujas at its offices. “SP people have lost their way on socialism. I had seen Netaji Mulayam Singh Yadav also and started my political career under him, but he never worked against the Constitution. He worshipped in his own house for hours but, forget about organising a puja at the party office, he never visited a temple. However, today, the Samajwadi Party has started the tradition of organising puja at a party office,” said Maurya.

Questioning Akhilesh’s secular credentials further, Maurya said that Akhilesh had left even the BJP behind by performing the puja.

“BJP bhi kabhi bhagwan, devi devta ki puja party karyalaya mein nahi ki… Yeh aise dharma nirpeksha ki inhone SP karyalaya mein bhagwan Shaligram ki puja karwa di… Kaisa dharma nirpeksha hai pura dhesh dekh raha hai, puri duniya, samaj dekh raha hai (Even the BJP never performs a puja of god and goddess in its party office.. What kind of secular people are they, as they organised a puja of bhagwan Shaligram at a party office. Their secularism has been seen by the entire country, world and society.)”

“BJP bhi inke puja ke samne sharma gayi hogi ki baji maar gaye Akhilesh Yadavji (Akhilesh Yadav has put even the BJP to shame with this puja),” he said.

Maurya also mentioned SP MLA and Apna Dal (K) leader Pallavi Patel raising the allegation of PDA (Pichhada, Dalit, Alpsankhyak, or backwards, Dalits and minorities) being ignored, and said that no one with self-respect would stand with Akhilesh.

Asking Akhilesh to take a lesson from Shivpal Singh Yadav, Maurya said that as long as Ram Gopal Yadav declared himself as the leader of the Samajwadi Party, the party would continue to be in the dark.