Lucknow: Kanpur Mayor Pramila Pandey wants to make sure Hindus and Muslims can’t buy each other’s houses. During a visit to the city’s Muslim-majority Munshi Purwa area Tuesday, she said she would urge the state’s Yogi Adityanath government to ensure just that.
Speaking to the media, Pandey, a BJP leader who first became mayor in 2017 and was re-elected in the civic body elections in May this year, said this would ensure that both “communities stay together”.
“This will ensure (good) intentions (are kept). Hindus tend to flee,” she said.
Her visit to the area came on the back of a complaint about illegal encroachments near a Hindu shrine, she said. “I had received a complaint from an elderly man about a shrine and a well in Munshi Purwa being occupied by some members of the Muslim community,” she told the media. “So I reached here. They have occupied the well and dumped garbage upon it. Someone has made a window and a gate near the shrine. This shows bad intentions.”
Pandey said she had no problem with Muslims, but added that she was worried about their “intentions”.
“You (Muslims) caused so much (trouble) that Hindus left (this place),” she said. “Don’t touch the shrine. The shrine belongs to us. It will remain where it is. (But instead) you make a door or a window near it, (even) relieve yourself (there). This is wrong.”
A video of Pandey during the visit showed her making some more controversial remarks. While walking through the area, Pandey is heard asking about some of its houses. “How will cleaning happen? Hindus think that they (Muslims) are paying more money, sell off the house and leave. They (Muslims) have money,” she can be heard saying.
When ThePrint reached Pandey’s office by phone for a response, this reporter was directed to her media in-charge Prashant Shukla, who said the mayor had received complaints about encroachment in the area.
“When the mayor visited the spot, about 100-200 people also reached there. The well was covered with construction debris and the occupants had extended the awnings (of their house) and were trying to occupy the entire premises. She directed the junior engineer to probe the matter. If the work is illegal, it will stop. Otherwise, no action will be taken,” he said.
This isn’t the first time that Pandey has courted controversy. The BJP leader’s demolition drive against alleged illegal encroachments in Saket Nagar last month led to several meat and fish shops being removed. While the authorities claimed the establishments were illegal, the action drew protests from their owners, who claimed they had been operating in the area for years.
During the 2022 assembly elections, Pandey was booked for allegedly having clicked pictures inside a polling booth and sharing them on WhatsApp.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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