Shoe Thrown at SP Leader Swami Prasad Maurya During Party Event in Lucknow

New Delhi, August 21, 2023: Tension flared during a Samajwadi Party (SP) event in Lucknow as a shoe was hurled at senior party leader Swami Prasad Maurya by an individual impersonating a lawyer. The incident occurred at the Indira Gandhi Pratishthan during the party’s convention, where SP President Akhilesh Yadav was scheduled to address the audience.

The shoe, aimed at Maurya, narrowly missed its target, prompting swift action from party workers who seized and confronted the assailant. Videos capturing the scene depict SP workers restraining the man in the presence of law enforcement personnel. The perpetrator, identified as Akash Saini, was subsequently taken to a medical facility for treatment.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (Lucknow), Aniandy Vikram Singh, remarked, “The accused has been taken to a hospital, and further details will be known after questioning him.”

The incident brings to light the charged political atmosphere in Uttar Pradesh, particularly following Maurya’s high-profile switch from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to the Samajwadi Party shortly before the 2022 state assembly elections. A prominent leader representing the Other Backward Classes (OBC), Maurya’s transition ignited significant discussions within the political landscape.

In a parallel development, the 69-year-old politician recently found himself embroiled in a controversy stemming from his comments about the Hindu epic Ramcharitmanas. Maurya’s assertion that certain portions of Ramcharitmanas were offensive to specific castes stirred widespread criticism from multiple quarters.

As tensions simmer, Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav weighed in on social media, referencing a previous incident: “When the person who threw ink in Ghosi himself told that this work was done by BJP people, then what more to say now.” The situation continues to unfold as authorities probe the motivations behind the shoe-throwing incident and its potential political ramifications.