New Delhi:
People from all religions are safe in Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said, adding that Muslims are safe if Hindus are safe. In an interview with news agency ANI, Mr Adityanath said he is a “Yogi” and wishes for everyone’s happiness. Highlighting Hindus’ religious tolerance, he said, “A Muslim family is the safest among 100 Hindu families. They will have the freedom to practise all religious customs. But can 50 Hindus be safe among 100 Muslim families? No. Bangladesh is an example. Before this, Pakistan was an example. What happened in Afghanistan? If there is smoke or someone is being hit, we should be careful before we get hit. That is what needs to be taken care of.”
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said the state has witnessed no communal riots since the BJP came to power in 2017. “In Uttar Pradesh, Muslims are the safest. If Hindus are safe, then they are also safe. If there were riots in UP before 2017, if Hindu shops were burning, then Muslim shops were also burning. If Hindu houses were burning, then Muslim houses were also burning. And after 2017, the riots stopped,” he added.
“I am an ordinary citizen, a citizen of Uttar Pradesh. I am a Yogi who wishes for everyone’s happiness. I believe in everyone’s support and development,” he said. Mr Adityanath said Sanatan Dharma is the most ancient religion in the world and stressed that there are no examples in world history of Hindu rulers establishing dominion over others.
“Sanatan Dharma is the most ancient religion and culture in the world. You can guess from its name. Sanatan Dharma followers have not converted others to their faith. But what have they received in return? What did they gain in exchange? There is no example anywhere in the world where Hindu rulers, using their strength, have established dominion over others. Such instances do not exist,” Mr Adityanath said.
‘Namuna’ Jab At Rahul Gandhi
The firebrand BJP leader said “specimens” like Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, benefit the BJP. He said the Congress leader’s nationwide march, Bharat Jodo Abhiyaan, was actually “Bharat Todo Abhiyan”. “He criticises India outside India. The country has understood his nature and intentions. It is important for the BJP that some specimens like Rahul (Gandhi) remain so that the path is always clear,” he said.
The Congress, he alleged, wanted the Ayodhya issue to remain a controversy. “Why did the Congress not abolish three-talaq? Why did the Congress not promote Kumbh with so much pride and divinity? Why did Congress fail to provide world-class infrastructure in the country?” he asked.
“Abiding By Court Ruling, Otherwise…”
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, also the mahant of the Gorakhnath Temple, said important sites of Hinduism are symbols of India’s inheritance. “Whatever it is, we will find it. We will show the world. Those whom God has given eyes, let them see. What happened in Sambhal? Sambhal is the truth,” he said. Sambhal is at the centre of a legal battle after a group of petitioners claimed the Shahi Jama Masjid is built on the ruins of an ancient temple.
“Islam says places of worship constructed after destroying Hindu temples are not accepted by God. Then why were they built?” he asked. He said the government would continue to revive temples as more evidence is found. “The scientific evidence is present. We are showing where they are, and we will address them one by one.”
Asked about the Mathura mosque dispute, he said, “We are abiding by the court’s decision; otherwise, who knows what could have happened by now?”
