SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya justifies police firing on 'karsevaks' in 1990

Kasganj (UP): Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya on Wednesday justified the then Mulayam Singh Yadav government's order directing the police to open fire on 'karsevaks' in Ayodhya in 1990, saying that it was done to protect the Constitution.

Maurya, who has been inviting controversy through his statements in the recent past, was in Kasganj to participate in a Buddhist conference.

"The firing on karsevaks (volunteers) in Ayodhya was carried out by the then government to fulfil its duty to protect the Constitution," the SP leader told reporters here.

Maurya was asked about a reported statement of Union Minister SP Singh Baghel that people behind the police firing on 'Ram Bhakts' in Ayodhya should be welcomed if they want to go there.

"At that time, anarchic elements in large numbers had indulged in vandalism and the then government had got bullets fired for saving the Constitution, peace and order. That was the duty of the government. Baghel was also in the Samajwadi Party at that time," Maurya said.

Maurya's statement justifying the 1990 firing has come at a time when preparations are in full swing for the consecration ceremony of the new Ram temple in Ayodhya.

To a question on the opposition accusing the Narendra Modi government of trying to politicise the consecration ceremony, the SP leader said, "We honour all religions but the BJP is politicising it to take mileage whereas the country knows that the temple is being constructed on the orders of the Supreme Court." "All the opposition parties had welcomed the Supreme Court's order. This means that no one has an objection to the construction of the Ram Temple, but the BJP is wrongly trying to take credit for it. Had it (BJP) been so capable, why was the temple not built when Atal Bihari Vajpayee held the reins of the country thrice," he said.

Asked if he would go to Ayodhya to participate in the consecration ceremony on January 22, the SP legislator said, "I will not go to any programme of the BJP...this is the programme organised by the BJP and not that of Ram Lalla temple." To another question, Maurya alleged that the Central government is working to sell the country and accused it of winning elections through EVMs.

He also accused the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state of creating a rift between Hindus and Muslims.