Derogatory remarks against deities, saints of any religion unacceptable: UP CM Adityanath
Lucknow(PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Monday said derogatory remarks against deities, great men or saints belonging to any religion or sect are unacceptable and those doing so will be "punished vigorously", remarks that come in the backdrop of Dasna temple priest Yati Narsinghanand's remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
Reviewing the law and order situation with the chief secretary, DGP and other officials, the chief minister also said that "anarchy, vandalism or arson in the name of protest is not acceptable" and whoever dares to do this will have to pay the price for it".
The chief minister stressed that faith of every sect and religion should be respected.
"Every citizen should have a sense of gratitude towards great men, but this cannot be forced and cannot be imposed on anyone," Adityanath said in a statement issued here.
"If any person tampers with faith, makes derogatory remarks against the faith of great men, deities, sect etc., then he will be brought under the purview of law and punished rigorously, but people of all sects, religions will have to respect each other," he said.
Adityanath's remarks came in the backdrop of Narsinghanand's objectionable remarks against Prophet Muhammad.
Several Muslim organisations have called for the arrest of the priest, and leaders of political parties like the BSP, the National Conference and the Samajwadi Party have also joined the chorus for strict action against him.
On October 3, an FIR was lodged by Sub-inspector Trivendra Singh against Narsinghanand stating that on September 19 he had made derogatory remarks against a community during an event at Hindi Bhavan in Lohiya Naga and termed it as a violation of Section 302 of BNS (deals with the offence of uttering words or making sounds to intentionally hurt someone’s religious feelings.)
Another FIR was lodged by Bhanu Prakash Singh, sub-inspector and area beat in-charge Dasna area of Wave City police station.
In this complaint, the priest's disciples-- Anil Yadav Chota Narsimahanand, Yati Ran Singhanand, Yati Ram Swaroopanand and Yati Nirbhayanand of Dasna temple -- have been accused of making objectionable remarks, a video of which had appeared on social media.
The chief minister also directed the police administration that every district and every police station should ensure that the upcoming festivals are celebrated with joy and harmony.
"Identify those who spoil the atmosphere and take strict action against them. Deal strictly with those who work against the law," he said.
While giving instructions to ensure women's safety, the chief minister said foot patrolling and police response vehicle should be intensified in crowded areas.
He said safety and convenience of women should be ensured.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
