Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar's party is now in damage-control mode after a statement he made about a police lathicharge (baton charge) on student protesters in Barabanki sparked a major controversy.

The situation escalated on Wednesday evening when a protest was held at the minister's residence. Protesters alleged that Rajbhar had called them "gundas" (goons). The issue also drew sharp criticism from Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, who used the opportunity to hint at a rift between the BJP and its allies. 

The Party's Official Defence

In an effort to manage the fallout, Om Prakash Rajbhar's son and the party's National General Secretary, Arvind Rajbhar, has issued a clarification. He stated that the minister's comments were misinterpreted.

"The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) always fights for the rights of students, and our party fully supports it," Arvind Rajbhar emphasised.

What Caused the Uproar?

The controversy started on Monday after ABVP activists were protesting at Ramswaroop Memorial University in Barabanki regarding a non-affiliated law course. The police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse the crowd.

ABVP activists allege that Om Prakash Rajbhar, who is the Panchayati Raj Minister and president of the SuheldevBharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), supported the police action in his statement and referred to them as "goons." They are now demanding his dismissal from the ministry.

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"He Never Used the Word Goons"

On Thursday, Arvind Rajbhar made it clear that his father never used the word "goons." He claimed the minister only said, "Police will deal with those who take the law into their own hands."

He also condemned the violence during the protest at their residence on Wednesday, alleging that many protesters were "misled by the opposition" and that Samajwadi Party workers had joined in to politicize the issue.

Responding to Akhilesh Yadav's jibe, Arvind Rajbhar said that the SP chief is "disturbed by the unity of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)." He added, "Taking a single word out of context is a deliberate move by the opposition to defame us."

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