Maha BJP slams Elgar Parishad organisers for backing Usmani

The Maharashtra BJP on Sundaydemanded action against the organisers of the recent ElgarParishad in Pune for ''supporting'' Sharjeel Usmani, one of thespeakers at the conclave, for his ''anti-Hindu comments''.

In a tweet, state BJP spokesperson Keshav Upadhye saidthe Elgar Parishad was creating divisions in society.

''By supporting Usmani's anti Hindu comments, ElgarParishad proves what its real motives are,'' Upadhye tweeted.

The Bhima Koregaon Shaurya Din Prerna Abhiyan, theorganising body of Elgar Parishad 2021 held in Ganesh KalaKrida Rang Manch in Pune, in a statement said it was ''firmlystanding with Sharjeel Usmani''.

The statement said ''activist Sharjeel Usmani is a 23-year-old Muslim student'' and ''the Muslim part of his identityhad to be mentioned because the perverted, vile and violentreaction to Sharjeel's speech is solely because of hisreligion''.

It said ''the Brahminical element'' had created ''hooplaaround one statement in Sharjeel Usmani's speech''.

Usmani, an alumni of the Aligarh Muslim University inUttar Pradesh, is accused of making derogatory remarks aboutHinduism during a Elgar Parishad event organised in Pune onJanuary 30.

Pune police on February 2 registered a case undersection 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on theground of religion etc) against Usmani on the complaint of aBJP youth wing leader, officials had said.