Yogi Adityanath hits out at Opposition over Sambhal violence

Uttar Pradesh CM says India will be run ‘by the traditions of Ram, Krishna, and Buddha’

The opening day of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly’s winter session on Monday (December 16, 2024) witnessed stormy scenes over the recent violence in Sambhal and Bahraich, with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath targeting the Samajwadi Party (SP) over the violence, communal riots, and the Indian Constitution. Mr. Adityanath also said that the traditions of Ram, Krishna, and Buddha would endure in India, “not those of Babur and Aurangzeb”.

Mr. Adityanath alleged that Opposition parties that had been in power for over six decades had turned a blind eye to the violence against Hindus in Sambhal. With a history of communal violence, Sambhal witnessed riots in 1947 and 1948, and significant violence in 1978, when 184 Hindus were burned alive. There were more riots from 1980-1982, and five people were killed in 1990-1992. “A total of 209 Hindus have lost their lives in Sambhal since 1947,” the U.P. CM said. 

Speaking on the violence in Sambhal, Mr. Adityanath said a historical divide had existed between Turks and Pathans in the town. He mentioned the late Shafiqur Rahman Barq, a former Samajwadi Party (SP) Lok Sabha MP, who once “proclaimed himself not as an Indian citizen, but as a descendant of Babur”. “Will you uphold the legacy of invaders, or the traditions of Ram, Krishna, and Buddha?” U.P. CM said. “Only the tradition of Ram, Krishna, and Buddha will endure in India, not that of Babur and Aurangzeb,” he said.

If peace prevails when Muharram or other Muslim processions pass through a Hindu locality, why do Hindu processions faces difficulty while passing through Muslim area, Mr. Adityanath said. “Can’t the saffron flag be raised on Indian soil?” he said. “If a Muslim procession passes in front of a temple in a Hindu locality, why can’t a Hindu procession pass through a Muslim locality?” he added.

Mr. Adityanath said no one who disrupted the peace in Sambhal would be spared. “I assure the Assembly that anyone involved in disrupting peace and in the pelting of stones will be strictly dealt with and will not be spared,” he said. 

Highlighting data from the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB), the U.P. CM said the State had witnessed a 97% to 99% decrease in the incidence of communal riots. “As per NCRB data, from 2017 till now, U.P. has seen a decrease of 97% to 99% in communal riots. Since 2017, there have been no riots in the State, while in the period between 2012 to 2017, 815 communal riots took place and 192 people were killed,” Mr. Adityanath said.

Published - December 16, 2024 10:12 pm IST