Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Friday in a hate speech said the poor law and order situation in the state earlier was due to people in “skull caps who threatened traders”, among others.
“Before 2017, how many lungi-clad goons used to roam here? Who in skull caps used to threaten the traders while carrying guns? Who used to encroach upon your land and threaten you to not go to Police? Remember all this,” Maurya said at a meeting of traders in Allahabad.
Lungi and skull caps, commonly known as topi are parts of the attire worn by Muslim men in the state.
Maurya was addressing a divisional meet of traders.
The senior BJP leader’s hate speech against Muslims came days after he called for the construction of a temple in Mathura at a time when Hindutva groups are demanding the removal of a Mughal-era mosque located adjacent to the Krishna temple in the city.
Maurya’s tweets had an uncanny semblance to the slogan “Ayodhya Toh Sirf Jhanki Hai, Kashi Mathura Baki Hai” (Ayodhya is a mere trailer, Kashi and Mathura are still left) raised by BJP leaders following the demolition of the Babri Masjid.
“Ayodhya, Kashi bhavya mandir jari hain, Mathura ki tayarri hai” (A grand temple is underway in Ayodhya and Varanasi. Preparations are on for Mathura), Maurya said.
In September, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that only those people who used to say “Abba jaan” would get ration before BJP came to power in the state. “Abba jaan” is a term commonly used by Muslims to address their fathers.
