Muzaffarnagar, Sep 13 (IANS) Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Harendra Malik has strongly reacted to the controversial comment made by Jagadguru Ramabhadracharya, who likened the Meerut region of Uttar Pradesh to a “Mini Pakistan” during a religious discourse.

Malik dismissed the statement, saying it reflects Ramabhadracharya’s personal opinion and does not represent the reality of the region.

“We were born here, we live here. This is an integral part of India, and all citizens here are Indian — Hindustani, Bharatiya,” the SP leader asserted.

Malik also disagreed with Baba Bageshwar’s call to turn India into a “Hindu Rashtra,” stating, “We believe in the Constitution. We neither support nor accept any statement that goes against it.”

He described India as a constitutional and secular nation, where history has shown Hindus and Muslims living together in harmony. He said such divisive remarks are unfortunate and called on the government to take strict action to prevent damage to social harmony.

Raising concern about the timing of such remarks, Malik said, “These kinds of statements usually emerge close to elections. There might be a political conspiracy behind them to instigate Hindu-Muslim riots.”

He warned that such deliberate provocations could damage the image of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the state government. He added, “Western Uttar Pradesh follows the politics of respect, not pressure.”

When asked about the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and BJP contesting district panchayat elections separately, Malik declined to comment, calling it an internal matter between the two parties.

Regarding the recent political upheaval in Nepal, Malik said he does not support coups but noted that the people of Nepal have raised their voices against oppression. “This should serve as a lesson for all countries. I warn the Indian government not to exert excessive pressure on its citizens — otherwise, people could take to the streets,” he said.

In conclusion, Malik stated, “We pray that such a situation never arises in India. Riots have always harmed the nation. The government must not infringe upon people’s constitutional rights.”

–IANS

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