Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has said people from all religions are safe in the state, adding that if Hindus are safe, Muslims are also safe.
He added that communal violence has stopped since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017. The chief minister said a Muslim family would feel safe among a hundred Hindu families, but questioned the safety of 50 Hindu families among a hundred Muslim families.
“A Muslim family is the safest among a hundred Hindu families. They will have the freedom to practice all their religious deeds. 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,” Adityanath told news agency ANI in an interview, adding that he treats everyone equally.
Aditynath said Muslims in Uttar Pradesh are safe, adding that communal riots in the state have stopped 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 here 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. And I am a Yogi who wishes for everyone’s happiness. I believe in everyone’s support and development,” he added.
He referred to Sanatan Dharma as the most ancient religion in the world, asserting that there are no instances where Hindu rulers have used their own strength to establish 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 own strength, have established dominion over others,” said the Uttar Pradesh CM.
Speaking about law and order in the state during Ram Navami and Eid, he said, “We regularly sit with the administration, and an SOP has already been prepared for this. Uttar Pradesh is the first state to control noise coming from outside its territory, in line with the Supreme Court’s instructions, and has successfully managed it through this communication.”
Speaking about the tarpaulin used to cover the mosque during Holi in Uttar Pradesh, the Chief Minister clarified that strict instructions are in place not to throw colours at the mosque, but he emphasised that colours do not harm anyone.
“If you are playing with colours, it does not harm anyone’s existence. You tell me, is it the same when rallies are held during Muharram? Doesn’t the shadow of their flag fall on a Hindu house near the temple? Does it make the Hindu house impure? There are strict instructions not to allow anything that is not coloured. But even if something has fallen, the administration is cleaning and repainting it,” Adityanath said.
