UP: Shoe Hurled At Swami Prasad Maurya In Agra, Attacker Held. Video Surfaces

Former UP minister SP Maurya narrowly escaped an attack when a youth hurled a shoe at him in Agra. The attacker, said to be associated with Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, was apprehended by police.

File photo of ex-UP minister Swami Prasad Maurya along with a screen grab of shoe hurling incident in Agra.

Source : PTI | X/@ABPLIVE

Former Uttar Pradesh minister Swami Prasad Maurya, National President of the Rashtriya Soshit Samaj Party, narrowly escaped an attack when a youth hurled a shoe at him in Fatehabad, Agra. Although the shoe narrowly missed Maurya, police swiftly apprehended the attacker. Maurya was addressing a gathering in support of his party's candidate, Hotam Singh Nishad, at the Mata Sati Temple in the Thana Dauki area when the incident occurred.

According to Amardeep, Superintendent of Police, Fatehabad, "During Swami Prasad Maurya's public meeting, a person threw a shoe. The accused person's name is Dharmendra Dhakad. The police are investigating which organisation he is associated with."

#WATCH | In Fatehabad, Agra, a youth threw a shoe at Swami Prasad Maurya, the National President of the Rashtriya Shoshit Samaj Party. Maurya narrowly escaped the attack, and the police arrested the accused youth.#agra #Fatehabad #UP #SwamiPrasadMaurya #viralvideo #ABPLive pic.twitter.com/mIKsoLamue

— ABP LIVE (@abplive) May 3, 2024

Bharat Hindu Mahasabha Takes Responsibility For Shoe Hurling On Swami Prasad Maurya

Prior to the attack, there were attempts to halt Maurya's convoy in Agra, with black flags displayed. Additionally, ink was thrown at Maurya's convoy and anti-Maurya slogans were raised. The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha has taken responsibility for the incident.

Speaking to news agency PTI, Sanjay Jaat, a spokesperson for the ABHM, confirmed the involvement of their member, stating, "One of our members hurled a shoe at Maurya when he was delivering his speech in Dauki. We were against the leader over his remarks against Ramcharitmanas."

The controversy surrounding Maurya stemmed from his remarks regarding certain verses in the Ramcharitmanas, a revered text in the Awadhi language based on the epic Ramayana. Maurya alleged that these verses insulted a large section of society based on caste and advocated for their banning.

Jaat expressed disdain over Maurya's comments, saying, "We have also written letters in blood and appealed to admit him in a mental asylum for disrespecting the Hindu saints and Ramcharitmanas." "Some of the members protested at Fatehabad and showed black flags when it was passing. Besides, they also threw ink on his car," he told PTI.

This incident follows Maurya's departure from the Samajwadi Party in February, wherein he formed the Rashtriya Shoshit Samaj Party. Maurya cited disagreement with the SP leadership, alleging discrimination and lack of support over his statements regarding the Ramcharitmanas and the Ayodhya temple consecration ceremony.

Swami Prasad Maurya's political journey has seen him traverse several parties. He joined the Samajwadi Party after leaving the BJP ahead of the 2022 assembly polls, having previously been associated with the BSP and serving as the leader of opposition during the Akhilesh Yadav regime. Recently, Maurya announced his intention to contest elections from the Kushinagar Lok Sabha seat.

(With Inputs by Lakshmikant Sharma)