Ghaziabad, March 24 (IANS) A major controversy unfolded when Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha MP Ramji Lal Suman referred to the 16th-century Rajput king, Rana Sanga, as a “traitor.”
The remarks sparked outrage, with former Congress leader Acharya Pramod Krishnam demanding an apology from none other than Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav.
Acharya Pramod Krishnam, speaking to IANS, stated, “Akhilesh Yadav must apologise, as leaders in his party cannot make such statements without his approval. Calling Rana Sanga a traitor is an insult to Rajasthan, Chittorgarh, Mewar, and the entire nation.”
Earlier, the SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav dismissed the criticism, arguing that if BJP leaders can revisit the history selectively, discussing figures like Aurangzeb, then Suman’s remarks should also be considered part of the historical discourse.
Suman made statement in the Rajya Sabha on March 21, where he claimed that Indian Muslims do not idolise Babur but follow Prophet Muhammad and the Sufi tradition. He then raised questions about why Hindus do not criticise Rana Sanga, alleging that the Mewar ruler had invited Babur to India to defeat Ibrahim Lodi.
Krishnam also reacted on stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra’s recent comments referring to Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde as a “traitor” during one of his performances. Kamra’s remark, “Meri nazar se tum dekho to gaddar nazar wo aaye. Haaye,” was meant to entertain the audience, but it has faced strong backlash from Shiv Sena, which is now calling for legal action against the comedian, including his arrest.
Krishnam said, “It is the comedian’s job to make people laugh. As for what Shinde’s supporters did, that is their prerogative. Shiv Sena has a history of reacting this way—anyone who speaks out against them will face consequences.”
Shiv Sena workers also threatened stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra after his party workers vandalised a Mumbai studio and a hotel amid a controversy over the latter’s joke on Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Krishnam also commented on forthcoming Bihar elections, saying, “The people of Bihar do not want politics based on caste. The BJP-led coalition will form the government with a majority.”
–IANS
jk/mr
