Lucknow: A day after UP state cabinet minister and Dalit leader Swami Prasad Maurya resigned from the Yogi led BJP government, a warrant for arresting him for a “hate speech” has been issued in Sultanpur. Maurya is alleged to have made a speech against Hindu gods back in 2014 back when he was a part of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).
In his speech in 2014, Maurya stated, “Goddess Gauri or Lord Ganesha should not be worshipped during weddings. It is a conspiracy by upper caste-dominated system to mislead and enslave Dalits and backward castes.”
It is worth noting that the speech, assuming it was made, was in tune with the anti-culture movement spearheaded by Dalits to protest against Brahminism and the caste system.
Although Maurya had been asked to appear before the court in the case on Wednesday, he did not turn up to the hearing and as such has now been asked to appear before a court on January 24 for “inciting religious hate.”
When asked about the warrant, Maurya laughed off the development saying, “All this and much more will happen now.”
In his resignation letter on Tuesday, he said that he was upset at the sidelining of Dalits and weaker sections of society. He is also said to have been upset because his son Utkarsh Maurya had not been “suitably accommodated” in the Yogi Adityanath government.
While there is no confirmation, sources said that Swami Prasad Maurya was likely to join Samajwadi Party.
(With IANS inputs)
