Caravan News
NEW DELHI — BJP’s Lok Sabha MP Sakshi Maharaj, notorious for provocative, hateful remarks, has now demanded demolition of the historic Jama Masjid of Delhi, claiming that the 17th century mosque was built after demolishing a temple.
At a public event, the BJP MP from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, has reportedly also said that he be hanged if idols were not found below the staircase of Jama Masjid.
The mosque was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in 1656.
“Main rajniti mein jab aya to mera pehla statement tha Mathura mein… Ayodhya, Mathura, Kashi ko choro… Delhi ki Jama Masjid toro, agar siriyon mein murtiyan na mile to mujhe fansi pe latka dena… Aj bhi main kayam hun..” (When I came to politics, my first statement was in Mathura. To leave Ayodhya, Mathura and Kashi aside and demolish Jama Masjid in Delhi and if idols are now found below the staircase then I should be hanged. I still stand by this statement), Maharaj was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.
The MP, since he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014, has been freely making hateful and provocative statements.
Once he had claimed that madrasas teach students terrorism and “love jihad”. He also called Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse a patriot. Once he asked Hindu women to protect their religion by producing at least four children. He also declared that cow slaughter and conversion to Islam and Christianity would soon be punishable by death.
In 1992, a massive Hindutva mob had demolished the 16th century Babri Masjid in Ayodhya of Uttar Pradesh, claiming it was the birthplace of Ram.
