Succumbing to criticism, BJP has dropped its plan to celebrate the birth anniversary of Jat leader Mahendra Pratap Singh in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus in Uttar Pradesh. Briefing reporters in New Delhi today, party Secretary Shrikant Sharma said that his party will celebrate the event peacefully at any other place in the city on Monday. He said that the BJP is against politicizing educational institutions. Mr. Sharma also termed the opposition parties' charges against BJP of communalizing the atmosphere as unfortunate.

Earlier, the party had decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of the Jat leader in AMU campus saying the University celebrates its founder Syed Ahmad Khan’s birth anniversary and there is nothing wrong to organize an event in the name of person, who donated precious land for the University. BJP's proposed move had evoked sharp reaction from political parties. BSP Chief Mayawati had described the move as an attempt to communalize the atmosphere in the State. Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agrawal had urged the Central government to stop it. Congress leader Pramod Tiwari felt that there is nothing wrong in celebrating the birth anniversary of Mahendra Pratap Singh unless it poses any threat to law and order in the city.