Some mafia in jail, some in hell: Yogi Adityanath

Kairana: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Friday claimed that chaos and anarchy were spread through fatwas from Deoband, and accused previous governments of making the place an arena of religious fanaticism.

Addressing election rallies in Deoband (Saharanpur district) and Kairana (in Shamli district), he also attacked the Congress and the Samajwadi Party for “bowing before mafia elements” and said his government took strict action against them and today some of them are in jail and some in “hell”.

“And the rest, they have themselves left for their last journeys (Ram Naam Satya ki yatra),” he said, without naming anyone.

“Saharanpur was to become the Kashi of (Uttar Pradesh’s) West but previous governments made Deoband an arena of religious fanaticism (mezhabi junoon),” he said.

Canvassing support for BJP candidate Raghav Lakhanpal in Deoband, the Chief Minister said, “Here chaos and anarchy were spread through fatwas. Fatwas were issued even on insignificant matters.”

“A fatwa was issued on how to give the vaccine (against coronavirus). From here, attempts were made to spread chaos and anarchy. No one talked about development,” he said.

Deoband town in western Uttar Pradesh houses Darul Uloom, one of the most important Islamic seminaries, from where fatwas are also issued.

The chief minister termed mafia elements ‘Raktbija’ and appealed to voters not be allow them to flourish again under any circumstances.

‘Raktbija’ is an ‘asura’ in Hindu mythology who had secured a Lord Shiva’s blessings that each drop of his blood falling on ground would give birth to as many demons and as strong as him.

The Congress was “bowing before the mafia” and the Samajwadi Party (SP) was afraid of them, he alleged. “But today some of them (mafia) are in jail and some have gone to hell. Their have been tamed.”

He said these Lok Sabha elections present choices before electors. “On one side there are casteist people, while on the other there are people dedicated to nationalism. On one hand, there are those who want to tear apart social fabric, while on the other, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, there are people who feel that the self-respect of Mother India and its glory remain immortal.”

Casteist organisations want to revive those who have been tamed, he alleged. “This should not be allowed as they make the life of an ordinary citizens miserable.”

He also said no chief minister would have visited Saharanpur as many times in 60 years as “I have in the seven years”.

At his rally in Kairana in support of BJP candidate Pradeep Chaudhary, Adityanath warned those “playing with the future of the youth”, saying their property will be confiscated and distributed among the poor.

“Our government made Uttar Pradesh riot and curfew-free. We have fostered a peaceful and harmonious environment by controlling those who incite riots. Let us not allow them to thrive again, as they will only provoke further disturbances through caste-based politics,” he said.

“We must not allow rioters, corrupt individuals, anarchists, and those who endanger the lives of our daughters, mothers, farmers, and youth to thrive again, regardless of their status,” he said.

He said his dispensation has ensured there is no discrimination in recruitment in government jobs.

“When job opportunities arise, our youths from Saharanpur are also recruited in large numbers. Previously, recruitment was limited to only a few districts, neglecting the rest. We made it clear that this approach was unacceptable.

“Recruitment now occurs all 75 districts, and anyone who jeopardises the future of our youths will face the confiscation of their fathers’ and grandfathers’ properties, which will then be distributed among the needy,” he said.

Highlighting the “neglect” suffered by hard-working farmers, labourers, artisans, and craftsmen in Saharanpur under previous governments, he said, “They were all victims of the divisive policies implemented by the governments of SP, BSP, and Congress.”

He highlighted the need for a government that prioritises the interests of all 140 crore people, emphasising that this election presents a choice between ‘Family First’ and ‘Nation First.’

Voting will be held in Saharanpur and Kairana in the first phase of polls on April 19. In 2019, the BJP’s Raghav Lakhanpal lost from Saharanpur to BSP’s Haji Fazlur Rehman, while the Kairana seat was won by BJP’s Pradeep Chaudhary.