In the escalating row over biryani remnants tossed into the Ganga during an Iftar gathering, Samajwadi Party’s Abu Azmi has come out swinging against the arrests of Muslim youths involved. The Mumbai leader labeled the police action as unacceptable and driven by communal prejudice.
‘These boys committed no crime,’ Azmi told media on Wednesday. He accused detractors of exploiting the incident to demonize Muslims, amid what he sees as a national intolerance crisis. ‘The whole setup is after one community, aiming to wipe it out,’ he charged.
Azmi painted a vivid picture of Iftar celebrations: families stepping out for sumptuous meals in gardens, eateries, or social circles. ‘Why politicize this joy?’ he asked, rejecting any tolerance for such overreactions.
On the pollution angle, Azmi flipped the script. ‘Ganga is ours too. Look at its filthy state—who cleaned it? Hypocrites shouting now were silent before.’ Drawing from personal memory, he shared bathing in the river as a child in Prayagraj, emphasizing collective responsibility.
The episode underscores broader rifts, where religious observances clash with ecological concerns. Azmi’s unapologetic rhetoric challenges authorities to address real pollution culprits, not scapegoat minorities.