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The Times of India
The Times of India
National
Pankaj Shah | TNN

Swami Prasad's comment on Ramcharitmas is that of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav: UP dy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya

LUCKNOW: Deputy CM of Uttar Pradesh Keshav Prasad Maurya on Tuesday stepped up attack on Samajwadi Party accusing its president Akhilesh Yadav of giving his silent nod to his leader Swami Prasad Maurya's comment on Ramcharitmas.

Speaking to reporters in UP BJP office, Maurya squarely questioned Akhilesh's silence over Maurya's comment, insisting that the SP leadership was deliberately orchestrating the row to fulfill its agenda of Muslim appeasement. "This statement is not of Swami Prasad Maurya but of Akhilesh Yadav...he should clear his stand," he charged.

Maurya said that SP leadership distancing itself from Swami Prasad's comment was just a "farce". Quoting socialist ideologue, Ram Manohar Lohia, Maurya said that Lord Rama was 'karma', Lord Krishna the `heart' and Shiva the `forehead' of the country. "If the SP leaders are followers of Lohia then why didn't they oppose Maurya's statement immediately," he questioned.

Alluding to the 1990 firing incident in Ayodhya during the previous SP regime, Maurya said that SP has shown its "real character" by getting it criticised by one of its leaders. Referring to Bihar's education minister Chandrashekhar Prasad's controversial comment on Ramcharitmanas and Manusmriti, Maurya said that SP was following the footstep of Lalu Prasad's RJD. He said that such comments on Ramcharitmas have hurt the sentiments of scores of Ram Bhakts.

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