Akhilesh appointing Swami Prasad Maurya as SP general secretary, reminds one of Ghazni, Ghori: UP BJP

Lucknow: The BJP on Monday attacked Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for making Swami Prasad Maurya a party general secretary days after his controversial remarks on the 'Ramcharitmanas', and said such action reminded one of invaders Ghazni and Ghori.

In a statement, the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh said with this appointment, Yadav has made clear his "intentions on hurting honour, self-respect and faith of Hindus". Swami Prasad Maurya, a prominent OBC leader in the state, kickstarted a controversy on January 22 when he alleged that certain verses in the 'Ramcharitmanas' -- a popular version of the Ramayana penned by Tulsidas -- "insult" a large section of society on the basis of caste as he demanded a ban on those passages in the text.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) declared its 63-member national executive on Sunday and Swami Prasad Maurya was among 14 general secretaries appointed by the party.

BJP Uttar Pradesh chief Bhupendra Singh Chowdhary said Yadav by appointing Swami Prasad Maurya as a SP national general secretary has proved that he was supporting his statement on the 'Ramcharitmanas' and this is an attack on the Hindu faith and Sanatan culture, according to a statement issued by the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh said on Monday.

"This work of the SP chief reminds one of the Muhammad of Ghazni and Muhammad Ghori. They came from outside and attacked the Sanatan culture and the faith of Hindus, the SP chief is doing the same work by staying here," Chaudhary said.

Ghazni and Ghori were invaders who had attacked India several times and ransacked and looted temples.

Chaudhary said that the "SP chief has rewarded Swami Prasad Maurya by making him a national general secretary for insulting the faith and Sanatan culture of Hindus and disrespecting the 'Ramcharitmanas'".

"The SP chief has made clear his intentions on hurting honour, self-respect and faith of Hindus by making Swami Prasad Maurya, who made hateful statements, a general secretary," the BJP leader said.

The Sant Samaj and some Hindutva organisations have strongly opposed Swami Prasad Maurya's remarks and a case was also registered against him in the matter.

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya had challenged Yadav to clarify whether he opposed Swami Prasad Maurya's statement or supported and had asked him to expel the leader from the party if he was against it.

Reacting on the appointment of the SP leader as a national general secretary, Keshav Prasad Maurya had tweeted, "The mentally deranged SP has exposed its anti-Hindu character by making the one who has insulted the 'Ramcharitmanas' the national general secretary, Yadav has put the last nail in the coffin of SP." Swami Prasad Maurya, who was a cabinet minister in the previous BJP government had joined the saffron party in 2016 after leaving the Bahujan Samaj Party.

He had joined the SP just before the state assembly elections held last year.

Swami Prasad Maurya had unsuccessfully contested from Fazilnagar seat in Kushinagar district as an SP candidate in the polls. Later, the SP made him a member of the legislative council.