Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya
Credit: PTI Photo
Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Sunday issued a warning that any construction done in the name of the Mughal emperor Babar will face strong Opposition.
Maurya's reaction came following suspended TMC MLA Humayun Kabir laying the foundation stone for a mosque – modelled on Ayodhya's Babri Masjid – at Rejinagar in West Bengal's Murshidabad district on Saturday, escalating political temperatures in the state where the assembly elections are due next year.
"There is no issue with the construction of a mosque, but if someone builds it in the name of Babar, then we will not only oppose it, but we will also ensure it is swiftly dismantled," he told reporters.
Maurya also sharply criticised the Samajwadi Party (SP), asserting that its president, Akhilesh Yadav, has lost his composure after experiencing a humiliating defeat in the Bihar elections.
He indirectly referenced Akhilesh by saying, "The SP chief's mental state has deteriorated following the party's crushing defeat in Bihar, and he is now indulging in unrealistic dreams."
The deputy chief minister emphasised that while the SP managed to secure a few seats in 2024, in the upcoming Assembly elections in 2027, the party "will not even be in a position to sit in the Opposition". "The future of the Samajwadi Party already appears bleak," Maurya said.
Taking a swipe at the party's symbol, the deputy chief minister remarked that after the Bihar election results, "red caps and 'jalidari caps' (netted caps) have disappeared from Uttar Pradesh," adding that the SP is "on the verge of sunset."
During his visit to Jhansi, Maurya participated in a review meeting regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and later travelled to Datia to visit the Pitambara Peeth temple.