Govt must act on forced slogan chanting: Maya

Lucknow, July 15

BSP chief Mayawati today alleged that a “wrong practice” of forcing people to chant religious slogans has begun in Uttar Pradesh and a few other states, while seeking tough action against it from the Centre and state governments.

Mayawati’s remarks came after a cleric claimed he was forced to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’. “In some states, including Uttar Pradesh, a wrong practice of forcing people to chant religious slogans and committing atrocities has begun, and it should be condemned,” she tweeted.

In her post, she said: “There is a need for the Centre and state governments to take tough action against it so that brotherhood and harmony is maintained everywhere and development is not affected.”

Citing a complaint lodged by the cleric, SP Shailesh Kumar Pandey said Imam Imlaq-ur-Rehman, a Muzaffarnagar resident, was going to his village on his motorcycle on Saturday, when 12 youngsters accosted him, beat him up and also pulled his beard. The UP Police have booked 12 youths in the matter, the SP added. — PTI

‘Wrong practice’

In some states, including UP, a wrong practice of forcing people to chant religious slogans and committing atrocities has begun, and it should be condemned. —Mayawati, BSP supremo