On 20th July, Samajwadi Party MLA from Sambhal, Iqbal Mehmood, triggered political controversy with a provocative statement targeting the ongoing Kanwar Yatra. Speaking to the media, Mehmood claimed the pilgrimage now has “more hooligans than devotees”. He alleged that many participants engage in vandalism and unruly behaviour on the streets.
He referred to a recent incident in Muzaffarnagar where kanwariyas allegedly damaged a school van carrying children. He said such actions push kanwariyas to hell. He stated, “These people are not true Shiva devotees. They are creating chaos and deserve to be in jail,” and demanded stern action from the government.
He criticised the aggressive behaviour of some pilgrims. “These are not good deeds. They are harming others and will have to face consequences in the afterlife,” Mehmood remarked.
He demanded to stop the Yatra claiming the participants are not devotees.
