Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Criticizes Akhilesh Yadav Over Alleged Mosque Meeting

Controversy Surrounds Alleged Political Meeting at Mosque

On Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh's Deputy Chief Minister, Brajesh Pathak, labeled the Samajwadi Party (SP) and its leader, Akhilesh Yadav, as 'Nawazwadi' and accused them of lacking faith in the Constitution. This statement followed allegations of a meeting held by Yadav at a mosque located on Parliament Street in New Delhi. Pathak emphasized that the Indian Constitution prohibits the political use of religious sites.

He stated to a news agency that both the SP leader and his party consistently violate constitutional principles.

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Pathak reiterated that the Constitution clearly states that religious venues should not be exploited for political agendas, asserting that Yadav and his party show no respect for this principle. He remarked, 'They always remain Nawazwadi, and that is what they are doing.'

In response, SP MP Rajiv Rai suggested that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should focus on the viral videos of its own leaders. He questioned whether they would require a license from the BJP to visit temples and mosques or if they should circulate images of BJP leaders instead, pointing out the silence on videos and images of their leaders from the streets.

Meanwhile, Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of attempting to divide the populace. He stated that faith unites people, which contradicts the ruling party's intentions. Yadav expressed that while they hold faith across all religions, the BJP uses religion as a weapon.

Following this incident, Jamal Siddiqui, the national president of the BJP's minority front, criticized the SP and its MP Mohibullah Nadvi for allegedly turning the mosque into a party office. Nadvi serves as the imam of the mosque on Parliament Street.

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SP MP Zia Ur Rahman Bark raised concerns about the necessity of holding meetings at a mosque, questioning whether there was no space available in Parliament or MPs' residences for such gatherings. He argued that this issue is being unnecessarily escalated.

Ram Pur MP Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi at his residence in Delhi…. pic.twitter.com/7UlvPQx8Gt

— Dharmendra Yadav (@MPDharmendraYdv) July 22, 2025