Maulana forgot who is in power, no one can hold system hostage: Adityanath on Bareilly violence
Lucknow (PTI): With a crackdown by Uttar Pradesh police after violence in Bareilly during protests related to the "I Love Muhammad" campaign, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said his government has sent a firm message that disruptions to law and order will not be tolerated.
"Whenever there were festivals, there was some upheaval, but now rioters will be taught a lesson in the language they understand so that their future generations will also remember (not to indulge in such actions).
"Sometimes people are not able to shun their bad habits easily. For that,
denting-painting are required... You saw this in Bareilly yesterday. A Maulana forgot who is in power," Adityanath said, without taking any names.
The comments, made while speaking at a 'Viksit UP' event of a media house, appear to be directed at cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan, the chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, who had initially called for a protest in support of the "I Love Muhammad" campaign and was arrested on Saturday for allegedly masterminding the violence.
"He thought he could halt the system by issuing threats whenever he wanted, but we made it clear that there would be neither a roadblock nor a curfew. However, you will be taught such a lesson that your future generations will never indulge in rioting," CM Adityanath said.
The chief minister questioned the intent behind the public gathering. "What kind of way is this to halt the system? This was the trend in UP before 2017, but after 2017, we have not allowed even a curfew."
He said such "barriers" in the state's development were dealt with aptly. "The story of Uttar Pradesh's development begins here."
He also defended bulldozer action against people booked in criminal cases. "There are people who incite sentiments based on caste, exploit people... we made the bulldozer for such people," the firebrand BJP leader said.
The chief minister's statement came as tension escalated in Bareilly after clashes between police and a large crowd of people carrying "I Love Muhammad" posters outside a mosque in the Kotwali area after Friday prayers. The crowd was reportedly angry over the last-minute cancellation of a proposed demonstration by Khan, who claimed that authorities had denied permission.
The police carried out overnight house-to-house raids to nab the culprits and arrested eight people, including Khan, who were on Saturday sent to judicial custody for two weeks.
They said over 500 people are being identified through various videos and CCTV footage in Bareilly.
District Magistrate Avinash Singh said that Section 163 of the BNSS (power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) was in effect, requiring written permission for any march or demonstration. Despite this, some individuals took to the streets, attempting to disrupt peace, leading to strict police action and the detention of over two dozen people.
DIG Ajay Kumar Sahni said the clashes hinted at a "pre-planned conspiracy". He vowed to identify all perpetrators using video evidence and ensure "exemplary punishment" to deter any future repeat of such episodes.
The Uttar Pradesh government's Information Department had issued a statement condemning the Bareilly violence as a "well-planned conspiracy" aimed at creating a negative atmosphere in Western UP to "undermine the Noida International Trade Show" and prevent foreign investment, thereby thwarting the state's development efforts.
The controversy erupted on September 9, when police in Kanpur filed an FIR against 24 persons for allegedly installing boards with ‘I Love Muhammad’ written on them during an Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi procession on September 4. Some Hindu groups had objected to the installation of boards, calling it "deviation from tradition" and a "deliberate provocation".
Muslim groups objected to the FIR and soon protests spread to several Uttar Pradesh districts and to states like Uttarakhand and Karnataka.
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UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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