Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Saturday slammed Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya for his 'lungi chhaap goons' comment and said that not all people who wear lungi are criminals.
Mr Alvi further said that half of Uttar Pradesh's Hindu population wear lungis, and questioned if Mr Maurya, by his statement, meant that all lungi-wearing people are criminals.
Mr Maurya, at an event yesterday, had described those wearing "Lungi and Topi" as a challenge to the law and order situation for previous governments in Uttar Pradesh.
Maurya had also said, that after 2017, every since the BJP government was formed in the state, such 'criminals' have not been seen.
Addressing 'Vyapari sammelan' in Prayagraj, Maurya had said, "Before 2017, how many lungi-clad goons used to roam here? Who in skull caps used to threaten the traders while carrying guns? Who used to encroach upon your land and threaten you to not go to Police?"
Alvi then attacked BJP and said that they are "targeting a particular community" to win Uttar Pradesh elections.
Further, Avli said that the "public has understood the cleverness of BJP" and the BJP is "frightened by this truth".
Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections are scheduled to take place early next year.
In the 2017 Assembly elections, the BJP won a landslide victory winning 312 Assembly seats. The party secured a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party (SP) bagged 47 seats, BSP won 19 while Congress could manage to win only seven seats.
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