Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who is often termed as the firebrand BJP leader spearheading his bulldozer crackdown on the gangsters seems to have gotten himself yet another admirer– this time a gangster himself. In a video, which is being widely circulating on social media, gangster Atiq Ahmad can be seen praising the chief minister, calling him honest and brave.
Ahmad, who is a mafia-turned-politician from Samajwadi Party, made the statement when he was being taken to the CBI court in Lucknow for a hearing. Atiq Ahmad is lodged in Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati jail in connection with the murder of a former BSP leader.
On being asked by the media about UP Chief Minister, Ahamd from the Lucknow court premises said in Hindi, “Yogi Adityanath ek imaandaar mukhyamantri hain aur bohot bahadur hain aur bohot mehnat karre hain.” (Yogi Adityanath is an honest and very brave chief minister and he is working really hard)
Who is Atiq Ahmad?
A former member of parliament from UP’s Phulpur constituency, Atiq Ahmad is a mafia-turned-politician. He belongs to Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party (SP).
From 2004–2009, he was elected as SP’s candidate from Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh. Between the years 1999-2003, he was the president of the Apna Dal, founded by Sone Lal Patel.
His political career experience a downfall when he was charged with the sensational murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal, who had defeated Atique’s brother Ashraf in the 2004 Uttar Pradesh state legislature elections.
On 15 December 2016, he was arrested once again for assaulting staff of the Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences.
Ahmad fought the 2012 Assembly Elections under the Apna Dal banner, however, in the 2014 General Elections, he was taken back by the Samajwadi Party.
Later in 2021, Ahmad joined Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM.
