Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav's statue, which was installed at a campus in the Maha Kumbh Mela area, has sparked a controversy.
Several seers objected to the approximately three-foot-tall sculpture that was unveiled at the camp in Sector 16, set up by the Mulayam Singh Yadav Smriti Seva Sansthan, said Leader of Opposition in Uttar Pradesh Assembly Mata Prasad Pandey on Sunday (Jan 12).
'Anti-Hindu'
The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad condemned the move, stating that Mulayam Singh Yadav had always been "anti-Hindu and anti-Sanatan".
Samajwadi Party leader Mata Prasad Pandey said the statue of “Netaji” was inaugurated by him on Saturday and that the camp was organised to "spread his thoughts and ideas."
प्रयागराज महाकुंभ मेला क्षेत्र में सपा संस्थापक मुलायम सिंह यादव की मूर्ति लगायी गयी,प्रयागराज कुंभ मेला क्षेत्र में मुलायम सिंह यादव स्मृति सेवा संस्थान के शिविर में नेता प्रतिपक्ष माता प्रसाद पांडेय ने नेताजी की प्रतिमा का अनावरण किया @yadavakhilesh @samajwadiparty pic.twitter.com/zlORg6y6J0
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"Pilgrims and other people are welcomed to go to the camp, have food, and stay there. A small statue of Mulayam Singh Yadav has been installed in a symbolic manner," Pandey said.
He further said that after the Kumbh Mela, the idol will be installed back in the party office.
On being asked if the SP chief Akhilesh Yadav would visit the Maha Kumbh Mela, he said, "I have not spoken to him in this regard."
Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad president Mahant Ravindra Puri said that Mulayam Singh's statue was intended to remind the seers of the incidents when people from their community were "killed".
"We have no objection to Mulayam Singh's statue. He has been our chief minister. But what message do they (SP people) want to give by installing the statue at this time? Everyone knows what his contribution has been in the Ram temple movement. He has always been anti-Hindu, anti-Sanatan and in favour of Muslims," Puri said.
Mulayam, the founder of the Samajwadi Party, had a political career spanning over six decades. He also served as the Defence Minister of India and held the office of Uttar Pradesh chief minister three times.
(With inputs from agencies)