New Delhi: Samajwadi Party (SP) MP from Rampur, Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi, has once again found himself at the centre of political controversy, this time over a protest stunt in Bihar and a meeting at Delhi’s Parliament Street Mosque.
On Tuesday, August 12, several videos surfaced on social media showing Nadvi leaping over barricades alongside other Opposition leaders during demonstrations against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s allegations of “vote theft” against the Election Commission and the ruling BJP. In one clip, Nadvi is heard saying, “Main democracy ke liye marna chahta hoon. (I want to die for democracy).”
From Parliament Street Mosque to Political Crossfire
The protest footage comes just days after BJP leaders and the Uttarakhand Waqf Board raised objections to a meeting of SP MPs, including Mainpuri MP Dimple Yadav, held at the historic Parliament Street Mosque in Delhi. Critics questioned whether political gatherings should take place in a religious space.
Nadvi, who has served as the mosque’s Imam since 2005, rejected the criticism, telling reporters there was “one hour left before Parliament convened” when he invited SP president Akhilesh Yadav and others to visit. He said he had simply shared the mosque’s history, noting that leaders such as Maulana Azad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Rajendra Prasad, and APJ Abdul Kalam had prayed there.
Lashing out at the BJP, Nadvi accused the party of “diverting attention from serious national issues like inflation, unemployment and border security” by politicising the meeting.
A New Face in Rampur Politics
Born in Razanagar, Rampur in 1976, Nadvi studied at Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama, Jamia Millia Islamia, and Al-Falah University, holding a Master’s in Education. Once considered the stronghold of senior SP leader Azam Khan, Rampur saw a political gamble in 2024 when Akhilesh Yadav fielded Nadvi instead of contesting himself. The move paid off, Nadvi defeated BJP’s Ghanshyam Lodhi by 87,434 votes.
Unfazed by the latest storm, Nadvi insists his focus remains on “serious issues” rather than “manufactured controversies.” His defiant leap in Bihar may have been symbolic, but it has ensured he stays firmly in the headlines.
