Lucknow: Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Mehboob Ali from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, has issued a controversial statement, warning the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of its looming defeat. While addressing a Samajwadi Party event in Bijnor, Ali claimed that the increasing Muslim population would lead to the downfall of the BJP’s rule.
He added, "If the Mughals, who ruled for 800 years, are no longer in power, how can the BJP expect to stay?" Ali criticized both the Modi government at the Centre and the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh, accusing them of selling national assets. "They have sold the railways, telecom, LIC, and airports. They’ve even sold the country. How can they claim to serve the people now? The public understands everything," he said.
The remarks have triggered a new wave of political controversy, reflecting the intensifying rivalry between the SP and BJP ahead of upcoming elections.
Reacting to Ali’s comments, senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Dinesh Sharma condemned the statement, suggesting it exposed the mindset of SP leaders. "They should remember that cowards live in herds while lions move alone," Sharma remarked referring to Modi and Yogi as lion.
In response to the controversial speech, Bijnor police filed an FIR against Mehboob Ali at the Kotwali police station on Monday. The FIR, filed by Sub-Inspector Sanjeev Kumar, alleges that Ali’s speech incited religious hatred between Hindus and Muslims.
Along with Ali, SP District President Sheikh Zakir Hussain was also named in the FIR. The statements were made during the SP's "Samvidhan Maan Diwas" program, held at Royal Palam Banquet Hall in Bijnor on Sunday.
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This is the second consecutive day that an FIR has been lodged against an SP leader in Uttar Pradesh. A day earlier, police filed a case against SP MP Afzal Ansari in Ghazipur, who had sparked controversy by claiming that sadhus and saints widely consume ganja (cannabis).