Azamgarh (Uttar Pradesh) [India]: Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday distanced himself from controversial remarks made by party MLA Indrajeet Saroj concerning Indian temples and deities. Yadav stated he was unaware of Saroj’s comments or those made by party member Ramji Lal Suman on similar topics.
Instead, the SP leader emphasized the need to focus on present-day development rather than revisiting divisive historical debates.
“I have not heard his statement, I have not even heard Ramji Lal Suman’s statement, but I will say in the party that no question related to history should be raised… I want that if the things of history cannot show us a good path, if it cannot take us on a positive path, if it cannot give us a positive direction, then history should be allowed to remain history. History should not be discussed…Samajwadis have done so many progressive things, have said so many progressive things…” Yadav told ANI.
Despite the SP chief’s remarks, MLA Indrajeet Saroj reiterated his controversial statements on Tuesday. He questioned the role of Indian Gods and Goddesses during historic invasions by figures such as Muhammad Ghori.
“Our gods and goddesses were not that powerful. In 712 AD, Muhammad Bin Qasim came to this country from Arabia and looted the country. Muhammad Ghori came to this country to loot the place. So what did the gods and goddesses of this country do? They should have cursed the Muslims. They would turn into ashes, die, and become blind. It means that there is something that is lacking and our gods and goddesses are not that powerful,” Saroj told media.
A day earlier, Saroj had stated at a public event in Uttar Pradesh that if Indian temples truly had divine power, invaders such as Mohammad Bin Qasim, Mahmud Ghaznavi, and Mohammad Ghori would have never been able to enter the country.
Meanwhile, party leader Ramji Lal Suman also sparked a separate controversy by referring to 16th-century Rajput king Rana Sanga as a “traitor,” alleging that he invited Mughal ruler Babur to defeat Sultan Ibrahim Lodi.
Tensions escalated on March 26 outside the residence of a Rajya Sabha MP in Agra, where unidentified individuals threw stones, damaged property, and vandalized vehicles.
In response, the Karni Sena, a Kshatriya community group, held a ‘Rakt Swabhiman Sammelan’ in Agra to commemorate the birth anniversary of Rana Sanga. The Rajput ruler, also known as Sangram Singh I, ruled Mewar from 1508 to 1528 and is revered for his bravery and defiance against Mughal invasions. His legacy remains a symbol of pride among many Kshatriya communities.