On the first day of the winter session of Uttar Pradesh assembly, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a sharp dig at the leader of Opposition in the assembly questioning the double standards surrounding religious processions.

“During Moharram or other Muslim festivals, processions pass safely through Hindu localities and in front of temples without any issue. Why then does a problem arise when a Hindu procession passes in front of a mosque, or a Muslim-dominated area,” he asked.

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He further stated, “What is the issue with hoisting a flag? Can’t a saffron flag be raised on Indian soil? I want to ask if a Muslim procession can peacefully pass through a Hindu locality and in front of a temple, why a Hindu procession can’t pass through a Muslim locality. This is where the controversy begins. You expect your festivals and celebrations to proceed peacefully but deny the same right to others.”

“Where is it written in the Constitution that a Hindu procession cannot pass through a Muslim-dominated area? When you stop it, a reaction from the Hindu side comes. They will also not allow a procession to pass. I am surprised by these objections. Why should a procession not be allowed to pass in front of a mosque? Is the road anyone’s private property? It is a public road—how can anyone stop someone from using it,” he asked.

Referring to a traditional procession in Bahraich, the CM said, “All arrangements were made to carry forward the traditional procession, yet there were allegations that provocative slogans were being raised. Let me clarify: the slogan ‘Jai Shri Ram’ is not provocative. It is a slogan of our faith and a symbol of our belief.”

“Tomorrow, if I say I don’t like the slogan ‘Allah hu Akbar’, will you agree with me? Our heritage is so rich and ancient that we can proudly carry forward our traditions. I can live my entire life with salutations like Jai Shri Ram, Har Har Mahadev, and Radhe Radhe. We don’t need any other form of greeting,” he added.

The Chief Minister, addressing concerns over religious processions and rituals, said, “If a ‘bhajan’ is being sung, how it can be called obscene? What obscene songs are played during the Kanwar Yatra? Songs of Lord Shiva are played there. In the processions during Durga Puja, the ‘aarti’ of Jagat Janani Maa Durga is played, ‘Durga Chalisa’ is sung, and ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ is recited. These are symbols of our devotion and strength.”

He further stated, “If you had read Baburnama, this debate wouldn’t have arisen. It clearly mentions the demolition of the Harihar temple by Mirbaki himself.”

Commenting on communal tensions, the CM said, “In Sambhal, there was a Shia-Sunni dispute in 1976. The Shia-Sunni clashes in Lucknow only ended during the BJP’s tenure. Your politics has always been about creating divisions and inciting conflicts. That’s why we’ve said, ‘Na Batenge, Na Katenge’ (We will neither divide nor let ourselves be slaughtered).”

Talking about recent riots, CM Yogi said, “Why are these riots orchestrated? Take the case of Bahraich or Maharajganj town. There were four companies of police present, yet the riot wasn’t happening on the road—the firing came from inside houses. Innocent Ram Gopal Mishra, who was killed, was shot from inside a house. We must acknowledge this truth. It wasn’t a face-to-face riot on the streets.”

He continued, “Had the police entered the house, they would have faced other allegations. They acted defensively. Even the car of a BJP MLA, located 30-35 km away, was attacked. The complaint filed by the MLA pertains to another matter entirely, yet it is being falsely linked to this incident.”