Swami Prasad Maurya, the national secretary, and MLA of the Samajwadi Party, once again ignited controversy, questioning the tradition of Lakshmi Puja. On Diwali, he tweeted a photo of himself worshipping his wife, suggesting, ‘If you want to worship Goddess Lakshmi, honour your wife, the true goddess, as every child born has two hands, two feet, two ears, two eyes, a nose with two nostrils, and one head, stomach, and back. So, how can Lakshmi with four hands be born?’ The BJP alleged Akhilesh Yadav assigned Swami the agenda of demeaning Hinduism.
BJP and Congress target Akhilesh
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress criticised Akhilesh Yadav over Swami Prasad Maurya’s statement. BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary accused Akhilesh of remaining silent on the insult to Lord Rama and Mahalakshmi. He claimed that appointing Swami as the national secretary indicated an agenda to insult Sanatan Hinduism. Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam was of the view that Swami Prasad Maurya was suffering from mental health issues. He suggested banning him from speaking and advised that he should seek treatment for it. Even the Samajwadi Party has also advised Swami to stop harming the party.
Maurya: Controversial figure in UP politics
Swami Prasad Maurya, a prominent leader among backward classes in UP, had a history of controversies. Associated with the BSP, he later joined the BJP before the 2017 elections, serving as a minister in Yogi 1.0 government. Disgruntled with the BJP, he joined the Samajwadi Party just before the 2022 elections. Known for contentious remarks, he previously stirred controversies with comments on Ram Charit Manas and Hindu temples.
Earlier this year, he demanded a ban on certain verses from Ram Charit Manas, claiming they demeaned society based on caste. Swami Prasad Maurya has asserted that Badrinath was a Buddhist monastery before becoming a Hindu pilgrimage site in the 8th century. This wasn’t his first time being embroiled in
controversies.