An old confidant of BSP Chief Mayawati, who later quit the party, has held the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister responsible for the recent Saharanpur riots. Swami Prasad Maurya, who had been associated with the BSP for the past three decades, accused Mayawati of provoking a particular community in Saharanpur for fanning violence there to gain political advantage.
Maurya, who is a cabinet minister in the present Yogi government, even did not spare the Congress. He said Congress’ name is figured in the list of those who have funded the controversial Bheem army, while Mayawati took political advantage out of the incident.
Maurya claimed that many startling facts have been coming to light after the inquiry, the report of which has been sent to the Centre by the state government.
He alleged that the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, perturbed by swift actions of the Yogi government, added required fuel to the already existing fire. He specially targeted Mayawati and said the BSP chief's lopsided approach led to the formation of the Bheem army. When this army became a challenge for Mayawati, she visited Saharanpur and provoked the crowd, he said.
It may be recalled that the day Mayawati visited the already volatile Shabbirpur village, violence broke out there, in which one person from the dalit community lost his life.
