Prayagraj: A Congress leader who is contesting UP local body polls in Prayagraj has been expelled from the party after he demanded Bharat Ratna Award for the slain gangster-turned politician Atiq Ahmed.
The Congress man Rajkumar Raju also triggered a controversy by placing the tricolour on Atiq Ahmed’s grave, the video of which is going viral on social media
Rajkumar said the Uttar Pradesh government was involved in the killing of mafia Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf. While comparing Atiq to Mulayam Singh Yadav, he said when the latter could be awarded Padma Vibhushan then why not the slain gangster. He said that Atiq should have been given the state honour, TOI reported.
Blaming the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government for the horrific murder, Rajkumar called Atiq a “Shaheed” and demanded “he should be awarded with Bharat Ratna”.
The Congress was forced to act against Rajkumar, who was also contesting the upcoming local body elections in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj. Rajkumar has been expelled from the grand old party for six years.
