In a move that has stirred controversy, a Samajwadi Party (SP) leader in Lucknow, Sudhakar Yadav, erected a poster of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari outside the party's office on Sunday urging Muslims to refrain from celebrating Eid and instead observe a two-minute silence for Ansari.
The poster was swiftly removed by police for being put up without the requisite permissions from district authorities.
Mukhtar Ansari, a notorious figure known for his criminal past, passed away due to cardiac arrest while in jail. Despite his tainted history, the SP offered what they termed a 'humble tribute' to Ansari, further fueling the controversy surrounding the incident.
Akhilesh Yadav's Visit To Mukhtar Ansari's Ancestral Residence
With elections on the horizon, there appears to be an orchestrated effort to refurbish Ansari's image, portraying him as a 'messiah' for potential electoral gains. However, the Ansari family's legacy is tainted by allegations of terror and violence, particularly in eastern Uttar Pradesh.
As part of this effort, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav is slated to visit Mukhtar Ansari's ancestral residence in Yusufpur, Mohammadabad town of Ghazipur district, on April 7 to express condolences over his demise. The visit comes in the wake of Mukhtar's death on March 28 in a Banda district jail.
During his visit, Yadav is expected to meet Mukhtar's family members, including his brothers Sibgatullah Ansari and Afzal Ansari, the latter being a sitting BSP MP from Ghazipur. The Ansari family has been deeply entrenched in politics, with Mukhtar holding the Mau Sadar assembly constituency seat multiple times until 2017.
Political Controversies In Uttar Pradesh
Despite attempts to carry forward his political legacy through his elder son Abbas Ansari, who won the Mau Sadar seat on a Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) ticket in 2022, recent developments have led to fractures within the political landscape. The SBSP, now allied with the BJP and its leader Om Prakash Rajbhar, has distanced itself from Abbas Ansari following Mukhtar's demise.
The incident underscores the complex intersections of politics, crime, and legacy-building in Uttar Pradesh, a state where electoral dynamics are often shaped by intricate alliances and historical affiliations. As the election fervor intensifies, such controversies serve as a reminder of the multifaceted challenges confronting the political landscape, where reputations are both made and marred in the pursuit of power.
