The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday held protest in Lucknow against Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan for his ‘objectionable’ statement against Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar, dubbing the Constitution-maker as someone who grabs land.
In his address at the inauguration of Haj House in Ghaziabad on Monday, Khan, without naming Ambedkar, had said, “All across Uttar Pradesh, there are statues of a person whose finger seems to say that not only does it own the plot of land on which it is standing, but also the plot towards which it is pointing its finger.”
"The BJP held protests in the state capital and the similar protests were also staged across the state," Uttar Pradesh BJP president Keshav Prasad Maurya said.
A BJP delegation led by Maurya handed over a memorandum to Governor Ram Naik at Raj Bhawan, demanding Khan's dismissal from the cabinet for ‘hurting sentiments’ by making 'derogatory remarks' against Dr Ambedkar.
"We request to make such an arrangement that those making such statements against great persons should be brought to book irrespective of their stature," he said.
Maurya also attacked the Opposition parties for being silent over the remarks.
He alleged that the BJP district president and other workers were injured in the lathi-charge by police on protestors in Lucknow.
BSP president Mayawati also demanded an apology from Khan for hurting the sentiments of Babasaheb’s followers.
‘We strongly condemn Azam Khan for his controversial remark on Babasaheb and hope that if he (Khan) cannot give proper respect to the great leader because of the casteist policies of his party, he should not also try to humiliate him by making false statements,’ she said.
‘It is one thing if Azam Khan’s statement is part of any electoral politics under the casteist policy of the Samajwadi Party, or else he should tender an apology for harming the sentiments of Babasaheb's followers by issuing such wrong and controversial statement,’ Mayawati said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Navnirman Sena threatened to hold a ‘mahapanchayat’, which will be attended by people from 150 villages, on the issue if Khan does not tender an apology.
UPNS chief Amit Jani said if Khan does not apologise for the remarks against Ambedkar, a mahapanchayat will be called on September 25.
