In Uttar Pradesh, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) state president Shaukat Ali’s statement on Kanwar Yatra has created a controversy. Shaukat Ali said, “When we offer Namaz, these people say, does this road belong to someone’s father? But when the Kanwar Yatra takes place, the police wash the feet of the Kanwariyas. The National Highway remains closed for 2 months. “The Kanwariyas roam around with liquor and pipe, break vehicles, but the police throw flowers at them.”
Shaukat Ali raised the issue that the roads have not been built from the BJP treasury and this country does not belong to a single community. He has targeted the government for alleged discrimination against Hindu and Muslim communities.
The BJP’s counterattack
Following this statement by Ali, BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi launched a harsh attack on AIMIM. He said, “AIMIM’s ideology is poisonous. Shaukat Ali’s statement is an insult to the Hindu society, which will not be accepted.” Targeting the opposition parties, Tripathi said, “Why are the SP and Congress silent on this statement of Shaukat Ali? The opposition comes together when Hindus are insulted, but no one responds.”
Political upheaval intensifies
This statement comes at a time when the administration is on alert across the state regarding Kanwar Yatra. Every year, thousands of pilgrims from Kanwar travel to offer water to Lord Shiva, for which special arrangements are made. At the same time, this statement by Shaukat Ali has fueled religious and political debate.
Question about the silence of the opposition
The BJP also targeted the opposition parties and alleged that by maintaining silence on Shaukat Ali’s statement, the opposition is promoting an anti-Hindu mentality. The political atmosphere has heated up due to this statement.
