The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Thursday asked the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government to lodge an FIR against Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh for ordering the police to fire on ‘karsevaks’ in Ayodhya in 1990 when he was Chief Minister.
“The SP founder has repeatedly claimed that he got the security personnel to open fire on karsevaks in Ayodhya in 1990 and the Yogi Adityanath government needs to take cognisance of this statement and get him immediately arrested after lodging an FIR,” VHP media incharge Sharad Sharma said in a statement here.
He said the family members of those devotees of Lord Ram who lost their lives in the police firing would be contacted and an appeal would be made to the Uttar Pradesh government as well as in the court for lodging a case against the SP patron.
Drawing a parallel with General Dyer, who had opened fire on innocents in Jallianwala Bagh during the British rule, Mr. Sharma said the “same act of cowardice” was committed by Mulayam for saving his government and increasing his vote share.
He was giving the same advice to his son Akhilesh Yadav, he said.
“The VHP in its three-day ‘dharam sansad’ slated for November 24 to 26 in Karnataka will, besides the Ram Janmabhumi issue, deliberate on Mulayam’s acceptance for this “heinous crime,” Mr. Sharma said.
Asked about the VHP’s demand, BJP State general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said he did not want to comment on it.
“Mulayam’s statement came to polarise Muslim votes during the ongoing civic polls. He has proved unsuccessful politically and is making such statements to establish his son Akhilesh Yadav,” Mr. Pathak claimed.
