Mukhiya Gurjar switched over from the BJP to Samajwadi Party a week ago
A viral video of a Samajwadi Party leader where he can be seen daring the police and administration to file cases against him has landed him in trouble with the authorities. "Prashasan ki aisi ki taisi...16 baar jail ja chuka hoon (To hell with the administration. I have been to jail 16 times)," Mukhiya Gurjar, Samajwadi candidate from Hasanpur in Amroha, can be heard saying while addressing a group of people in the constituency. The police have filed an FIR against him for violating the model code of conduct and Covid guidelines. Further investigation is underway, Amroha Assistant Superintendent of Police told news agency ANI.
Mr Gurjar also said that he would rob the corrupt MLA who has amassed wealth illegally, and redistribute it among the people. "I've opened a workshop where I 'repair' such people (like the sitting MLA). I am a follower of Mulayam Singh Yadav. I did not remove Mulayam Singh Yadav's photograph while I was in BJP. To hell with them," he added.
Mukhiya Gurjar, who is also the national president of Pathik Sena, jumped ship from the BJP to the Samajwadi Party a week ago and was declared a candidate for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections by his current party. He has returned to the SP after almost 14 years. He had contested on the Samajwadi ticket thrice in the past.
Asaduddin Owaisi of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) had recently criticised the Samajwadi Party for giving a ticket to Mr Gurjar.
He referred to the SP as a "washing machine where RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) men turn secular".
Mr Owaisi had posted a photo of Mr Gurjar in the RSS uniform on Twitter.
"SP is a washing machine that transforms RSS people into secular leaders. Kalyan Singh, Hindu Yuva Vahini leader Sunil Singh, Sakshi Maharaj and now Swami Prasad Maurya are examples. Hope Muslim SP leaders will welcome him with a bouquet and will sacrifice themselves for his commitment to social justice," he wrote.