Lucknow: A recent meeting held by Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav and several party MPs inside a mosque near the Parliament building in New Delhi has triggered a wave of political and religious outrage. The meeting, held at a mosque on Sansad Marg, featured Akhilesh Yadav sitting with SP MPs including Dharmendra Yadav, Ziaur Rahman Barq, and Rampur MP Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi — who also serves as the mosque’s Imam. Images of the gathering, held in the mosque’s central courtyard, have now gone viral.
The BJP was quick to seize on the images, accusing the SP of misusing a religious place for political purposes. The BJP’s Minority Morcha claimed the mosque had effectively been turned into the Samajwadi Party’s Delhi office. Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Brajesh Pathak led the charge, alleging a violation of constitutional values. “Religious spaces are not meant for political meetings. Akhilesh Yadav has no faith in the Constitution. He is not a ‘Samajwadi’, he is a ‘Namazwadi’. If SP returns to power, riots and chaos will follow,” said Pathak.
Akhilesh Yadav, in response, had defended the gathering, saying that the BJP is uncomfortable with unity. “Faith brings people together. The BJP wants division. We respect all religions. If BJP has a problem with that, what can we do?” he said.
However, the backlash intensified with a scathing response from Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi, national president of the All India Muslim Jamaat. Strongly opposing the meeting, Maulana Razvi said that Islam does not allow the use of a mosque for political purposes.
“A mosque is a place to worship God, not a venue for political strategy. When a Muslim enters a mosque, he leaves behind worldly matters to immerse himself in prayer. There is no place for politics in a mosque, nor has Islam ever granted such permission,” Maulana Razvi said in a statement to the media.
Showing the now-viral photo to reporters, the Maulana pointed out the presence of SP leaders, including two women, seated in what appeared to be a formal discussion. “The Imam of the mosque, Maulana Mohibullah Nadvi, is also a sitting MP of SP from Rampur. His involvement in this meeting makes it even more serious. This act is dangerous and a direct attack on the sanctity of the mosque. The Muslim community cannot tolerate political speeches, party meetings, or propaganda inside such sacred spaces.”
The controversy has placed the SP in a difficult position, as religious voices now join political opponents in condemning the move. While the SP sought to project an image of outreach and inclusion, critics see it as a misstep that crosses the boundary between religion and politics.
As the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections draw closer, the issue is likely to resonate further, especially in a state where both religious identity and political narratives play a central role in voter mobilisation.
