Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has questioned the Uttar Pradesh government over the arrest of Muslim youths who held an iftar gathering on a boat in the Ganga river in Varanasi, triggering a fresh political controversy ahead of the festive season.
The row erupted after police registered an FIR and arrested 14 young men following the circulation of a video showing an iftar party being held mid-river on Monday. According to police, the organisers served fruits, dry fruits and chicken biryani to those observing the fast.
Speaking at an iftar event in Lucknow, Yadav asked whether offering prayers or breaking the fast on the Ganga was prohibited. He alleged that the action was meant to create divisions in society and suggested that officials should have facilitated the gathering instead of ordering arrests. In a sharp remark, he also hinted at corruption, implying that the youths faced action because they did not pay bribes.
The video drew criticism from some Hindu groups after it surfaced online, leading to a complaint by local BJP youth leaders. Within eight hours, police arrested the participants, all reportedly belonging to the same family from the Madanpura area and aged between 19 and 25.
Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi also attacked the state government, accusing the police of misusing the law, while BJP MP Dinesh Sharma defended the action, saying the sanctity of the Ganga must be preserved.
Yadav further questioned why no action was taken against luxury cruise vessels allegedly discharging waste into the river, arguing that the administration was acting selectively to please the government.
