Row over UP Deputy CM ‘forcing’ SBSP leader to bow before BJP cadre as Akhilesh fires salvo

A row erupted Friday when a video went viral purportedly showing Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) leader Arvind Rajbhar, the son of party chief and UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar, sitting with folded hands at a BJP workers’ meeting and then being asked to bow down before them by Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak.

Sources told The Indian Express that the meeting in Ghosi was “called for better coordination between the BJP and SBSP cadre” in the constituency from where Arvind is contesting in the Lok Sabha polls.

The SBSP is part of the BJP-led NDA alliance.

ये है भाजपा के प्रभुत्ववादी लोगों का अहंकार, जो अपने साथी दलों के नेता को दंडवत होकर माफ़ी माँगने के लिए विवश कर रहा है, ये अपमान की पराकाष्ठा है।

भाजपा के सम्पूर्ण दल को इस कुकृत्य के लिए सामूहिक दंडवत क्षमा माँगनी चाहिए। भाजपा ने एक व्यक्ति का नहीं, उस पूरे समाज का अपमान किया… pic.twitter.com/R2Nd0IS50D

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) <a href=«https://twitter.com/yadavakhilesh/status/1776080127136514389?ref_src=» https: class="" rel=«nofollow, noopener» target="_blank">April 5, 2024

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav hit out at the BJP over the incident, alleging that it amounted to insulting the OBC Rajbhar community.

“This is the arrogance of the dominant people of BJP who are forcing the leader of their own alliance party to bow down and apologise. This is the height of humiliation,” Akhilesh said in a post on X, tagging the video.

Seeking an apology from the BJP, Akhilesh said: “The entire BJP should collectively apologise for this misdeed. The BJP has insulted not just one individual but the entire community to which he belongs. The Rajbhar community will vote against BJP in protest for this insult.”

However, Arvind said he was “merely taking the