Vikram Singh Saini

Saini was born on June 5, 1969 in Kawal.[3] He received his 8th Pass from Rajbala Shiksha Niketan.[4] At the time of the 2017 election, he listed his occupation as being in agriculture.[4]

Vikram Saini was formerly the gram pradhan of Kawal.[5][6] He has been a member of the 17th Legislative Assembly of Uttar Pradesh. Since 2017, he has represented the Khatauli (Assembly constituency) and is a member of the Bhartiya Janata Party.[1][7] He defeated Samajwadi Party candidate Chandan Singh Chauhan by a margin of 31,374 votes.[2]

Saini appeared in court in 2020 over attempt-to-murder charges against him under the National Security Act relating to the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots, during which three people died.[8][5] He had been detained and released in 2014 for his alleged role in the riots.[6]

In March 2017, Vikram Saini threatened to break the limbs of anyone who disrespected or killed cows.[9][10]

On 23 October 2017, Saini caused controversy after he addressed people attending a gathering in Muzaffarnagar asking them to physically assault people who harass women.[11]

On 5 February 2018, while addressing a gathering on population control, he said Hindus were free to have as many kids as possible until a law is passed, and while they only had two children, "others did not." He also claimed he told his wife to keep having kids until a population control law was passed.[12]

On 4 January 2019, after the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh had said singing Vande Mataram would no longer be mandatory for civil servants, Saini said there should be a law against those "who are against Vande Mataram" and they should be considered 'anti-nationals.' In the same speech he said anyone who is unsafe in India should be considered 'anti-nationals' and, if given a ministry, he would strap bombs to their back and blow them up. He later claimed he said nothing wrong and he was simply using the local language, but Congress leaders said he was 'speaking like a terrorist."[13]

In September 2019, Saini called the Nehru family "aiyyash."[14][15]

After the government scrapped Article 370 that ensured Kashmir's special status, on 7 August 2019, Saini addressed party workers saying Kashmiri women have been subject to many atrocities, and that Muslim workers should rejoice since they could now marry 'gori ladki' from Kashmir. His comments was widely derided as misogynistic, but Saini stood by his comments saying he said nothing objectionable.[16][17]