UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath (File) UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath (File)

Tensions ran high in the state Assembly on Tuesday as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath responded to Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary’s remark that he was a CM only to “so-called Hindus”, said he does not celebrate Eid and is proud of being a Hindu. “Main Eid nahi manata hun, main Hindu hun.. mujhe garva ki anubhuti hoti hai…. Ghar mein baith kar koi janeu pehne aur bahar topi pehenke nikle, yeh dhong aur pakhand BJP sarkar nahi kar sakti (I do not celebrate Eid, I am a Hindu and I am proud of it. Wearing a sacred thread at home but coming out wearing a cap…this kind of hypocrisy is not something the BJP government indulges in),” he said, adding that if someone wants to celebrate Eid peacefully, the government would provide all support.

The chief minister further said, “Hindu hone pe garva ki anubhuti hona koi galat baat nahi hai (There is nothing wrong in being proud of being a Hindu).”

Lashing out at rival parties in his reply to the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, he further said that while their governments used to teach students “Ga se Gadha (donkey)”, his government had changed it to “Ga se Ganesha”.

The chief minister also told the Opposition that the “red cap”, which is symbolic of the Samajwadi Party, would be brought down the same way his party had brought down the “red flag” in Tripura. He added that the time of “Bhagwa” and “kesariya” had come, leading to an uproar in the Assembly.

Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary on way to attend the Assembly session in Lucknow on Tuesday. (Express photo by Vishal Srivastav) Leader of Opposition Ram Govind Chaudhary on way to attend the Assembly session in Lucknow on Tuesday. (Express photo by Vishal Srivastav)

Earlier in the day, Chaudhary had, while speaking on the proposed amendment to the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, said that the present government was playing with the expectations of “Dalit, backwards and Muslims”. He further alleged that it appeared that Adityanath was the CM of only “Tathakathit Hindus (so-called Hindus)” and advised him to try to become a chief minister to all.

Bringing up a recent statement made by Adityanath during Holi celebrations in Mathura, Chaudhary said that while just like Holi and Diwali are celebrated by the former, Eid was equally significant, and claiming he does not celebrate Eid because he is a Hindu is against the decorum of the post he holds.

“Yeh pure mukhya mantri nahi hain, pura mukhya mantri banne ka prayas karen” Chaudhary said. Citing the Kansganj violence, Chaudhary also alleged that if the country would ever be divided, it would due to the wrong policies of the BJP. The leader of opposition further said that there was a new trend of taking out “Tiranga Yatras” just to extend the differences between Hindus and Muslims, and alleged, “Apka prateek Bhagwa raha hai.”

Responding to his statements, Adityanath warned, “Bharat nahi tootega.. Lekin Bharat ko todne walon ko tod denge (India won’t break, but we will break those who try to break it).” He referred to the Samajwadi Party as “vighatankari” (separatists) and “aaj ke yug ka sabse bada andhavishwas (the biggest superstition of present time)”.

Chaudhary said that the BSP and SP have come together because BJP was ignoring the interests of the poor, Dalits, Muslims and Backwards. In response, Adityanath said both parties have become the “Bahujan Samajwadi Party” and it was not clear who has merged with whom, advising the SP to “sit in BSP’s lap”.

Claiming that no fake encounters had taken place in the state, the chief minister alleged that among those encroaching lands in Uttar Pradesh, maximum “bhu mafias” were associated with the Samajwadi Party, and that SP members were behind the incidents in Ayodhya, Hardoi, Sitapur, Allahabad.

Asserting that no communal violence had taken place in Uttar Pradesh in the past one year, the chief minister, citing the Kasganj incident, said that whoever tries to forcefully stop “Tiranga Yatras” would not be spared.

Warning the SP, he said, “Tripura mein lal jhande ko duba diya hai…Pradesh mein lal topi ko duba denge. Lal topi nahi chalegi ab Bhagwa ka samay aa gaya hai, Kesariya ka samaya aa gaya hai…” As his statement led to an uproar in the Assembly, he repeated, “Lal jhande ke baad.. Lal topi ki bari hai (After the red flag (came down), it is now the turn of the red cap).”

The House was adjourned till March 11.

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