Lucknow, July 22: Samajwadi Party legislator Nahid Hasan stoked a row with a controversial appeal to the residents in his constituency. The Kairana MLA has called for a "boycott" of shops owned by members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). His appeal has drawn a reaction from SP veteran Azam Khan, who has pinned the blame on "reactionary forces" for the crisis.

Hasan, while addressing the media today, justified the boycott call claiming that BJP members are behind the demolition of scores of residences in his constituency. In a bid to exact revenge, the SP legislator said the minorities should not buy products from shops run by BJP leaders. Muslims Having Multiple Wives, Children ‘Animalistic’, Says UP BJP MLA Surendra Singh

"Their (poor's) houses were demolished and they're also being forced to set up their stalls, within walls. Who'll buy from them if they don't display in open? I had said BJP shopkeepers because BJP is in power now and some of its leaders are involved in things like this," he said.

Update by ANI:

SP co-founder Azam Khan, while reacting to Hasan's statement, said one should also focus at the root cause which led to his controversial boycott call.

"It is sad that such situation arose. Who is responsible for it? Who had started this? We stayed back (in India), our ancestors stayed back," he said.

"Bapu (Mahatma Gandhi), Maulana Azad, Sardar Patel, Nehru ji asked us to stay back. Bhagte huye Musalman ruk gaye they. Bapu had assured us that this nation as much ours as it is anyone else's. But what's the treatment being meted out? 'Tumhara sthaan kabristan ya Pakistan'," Khan added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 22, 2019 09:43 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).