On Tuesday (13th February), Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya announced that he is resigning from the post of party’s National General Secretary. However, he would remain a member of the Samajwadi Party. In his resignation letter addressed to SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Swami Prasad Maurya said that he would continue to work to strengthen the party without any post.
संज्ञानार्थ,@yadavakhilesh@samajwadiparty pic.twitter.com/SYPBhEvhe8
— Swami Prasad Maurya (@SwamiPMaurya) February 13, 2024
The Samajwadi leader, infamous for making comments on Hinduism, expressed shock and claimed that he is facing discrimination as despite him being the General Secretary of the SP, his remarks were discarded as those given in a personal capacity. He argued that how a senior party leader’s remark could become personal while others were seen as the party’s stance.
In the letter, Swami Prasad Maurya wrote, “I couldn’t understand how, as a national general secretary, any statement of mine becomes personal, while there are other national general secretaries and leaders whose every statement becomes a party statement. It’s perplexing how, among officials of the same level, some statements are considered personal and others party statements.”
Claiming discrimination, he added, “If there is discrimination even in the post of National General Secretary, then I believe there is no justification for continuing in such a discriminatory and insignificant position.”
Swami Prasad Maurya has been courting controversies for making disparaging remarks on Sanatan Dharma, Ramcharitmanas, Ram Mandir, and the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Recently on 8th February this year, the controversial SP leader attacked Hindus and mocked the Pran Pratishtha (consecration ceremony) of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya which took place on 22nd January. It is notable here that ‘Pran Pratishtha’ is a Hindu ritual that consecrates an idol in the sanctum sanctorum of a temple.
In his address at the Uttar Pradesh assembly, he ranted that the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha ceremony was “unnecessary”. He even went so far as to call Lord Ram “lifeless” during his outburst against the event. During his tirade, legislators from the Bharatiya Janata Party repeatedly raised their voices in protest.
#WATCH | Lucknow: Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya while speaking in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly budget session questions 'Pran Pratistha' of Ram Lalla, says, "BJP is doing drama and trying to project that there was no Ram Lalla before this government. Ram Lalla has been… pic.twitter.com/jStycTmYK6
— ANI (@ANI) February 8, 2024
On 10th January, Swami Prasad Maurya even justified the then Mulayam Singh Yadav-led Uttar Pradesh government’s ‘shoot at sight’ order which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of unarmed and innocent Karsevaks in the year 1990 after BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani’s iconic rath yatra.
Maurya alleged, “At the time the incident occurred at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, unruly elements committed large-scale vandalism without judicial or administrative intervention.” He further claimed that the shocking decision was made “to safeguard the constitution and the law and to protect the peace, the then administration gave shoot-at-sight orders. The government merely did its duty.”
In December last year, Mauryareiterated and tried to justify his disparaging “Hindu ek dhokha hai” remark.
"Hindu is a Farsi word which means Chor & Neech – SP leader swami Maurya"
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) September 20, 2023
-Kishan was kiIIed just for saying Krishna is greater than others
-Kamlesh Tiwari was kiIIed for saying less offensive words
This moron is lucky that Hindus aren't as intolerant as they're projected. pic.twitter.com/aDrQCZS6Rn
On 12th November 2023, Swami Prasad Maurya insulted Goddess Lakshmi on the festival of Diwali. Criticising Sanatan Dharma for worshipping Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali, Maurya argued on Twitter (X) saying that Goddess Lakshmi can never have four hands. He refused to worship Goddess Lakshmi and worshipped his wife on the occasion of Diwali instead.
On 19th September, Swami Prasad Maurya claimed that the word ‘Hindu’ means ‘thief’ and ‘despicable’ in Persian while speaking at an event at Gandhi Bhawan in Hardoi district under “Samvidhan and Arakshan Sarakshan Sena”.
In August last year, the SP leader branded Hinduism as a hoax, one that is ‘trapping’ tribals, Dalits, and backward communities, as per him. He claimed that Hinduism is not a religion at all and advised people not to fall for this ‘trap’. Taking to X, he wrote a post slandering Brahminism, and Hinduism, and claimed that Brahminism has been named as Hindu religion to exploit backward castes in the country.
Swami Prasad Maurya had also claimed earlier that certain portions of the Ramcharitmanas “insult” a large section of society on the basis of caste and demanded that these be “banned”. Following his controversial remarks against Ramchatritramanas, many FIRs were filed against him.
