Lucknow: Kanpur Mayor Pramila Pandey needs to verify Hindus and Muslims can’t purchase one another’s homes. Throughout a go to to the town’s Muslim-majority Munshi Purwa space Tuesday, she mentioned she would urge the state’s Yogi Adityanath authorities to make sure simply that.
Talking to the media, Pandey, a BJP chief who first turned mayor in 2017 and was re-elected within the civic physique elections in Might this 12 months, mentioned this may be sure that each “communities keep collectively”.
“This can guarantee (good) intentions (are saved). Hindus are inclined to flee,” she mentioned.
Her go to to the world got here on the again of a grievance about unlawful encroachments close to a Hindu shrine, she mentioned. “I had acquired a grievance from an aged man a couple of shrine and a properly in Munshi Purwa being occupied by some members of the Muslim group,” she advised the media. “So I reached right here. They’ve occupied the properly and dumped rubbish upon it. Somebody has made a window and a gate close to the shrine. This reveals unhealthy intentions.”
Pandey mentioned she had no drawback with Muslims, however added that she was apprehensive about their “intentions”.
“You (Muslims) induced a lot (hassle) that Hindus left (this place),” she mentioned. “Don’t contact the shrine. The shrine belongs to us. It would stay the place it’s. (However as a substitute) you make a door or a window close to it, (even) relieve your self (there). That is incorrect.”
A video of Pandey throughout the go to confirmed her making some extra controversial remarks. Whereas strolling via the world, Pandey is heard asking about a few of its homes. “How will cleansing occur? Hindus assume that they (Muslims) are paying extra money, unload the home and go away. They (Muslims) have cash,” she will be heard saying.
When ThePrint reached Pandey’s workplace by telephone for a response, this reporter was directed to her media in-charge Prashant Shukla, who mentioned the mayor had acquired complaints about encroachment within the space.
“When the mayor visited the spot, about 100-200 individuals additionally reached there. The properly was lined with development particles and the occupants had prolonged the awnings (of their home) and had been making an attempt to occupy the whole premises. She directed the junior engineer to probe the matter. If the work is prohibited, it is going to cease. In any other case, no motion will likely be taken,” he mentioned.
This isn’t the primary time that Pandey has courted controversy. The BJP chief’s demolition drive in opposition to alleged unlawful encroachments in Saket Nagar final month led to a number of meat and fish retailers being eliminated. Whereas the authorities claimed the institutions had been unlawful, the motion drew protests from their homeowners, who claimed they’d been working within the space for years.
Throughout the 2022 meeting elections, Pandey was booked for allegedly having clicked footage inside a polling sales space and sharing them on WhatsApp.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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