The objections, as listed in the letter include:

1) He (Yogi Adityanath) is the founder of the Hindu Yuva Vahini, an extremist and militant youth organisation, that has been involved in communal violence;

2) In 2005, Adityanath is reported to have been involved in what came to be known as a ‘purification drive’ that involved the conversion of about 1,800 Christians to Hinduism in the town of Etah in Uttar Pradesh. He is also reported to have stated that he wouldn’t stop until he turns Uttar Pradesh and India into a Hindu state;

3) Additionally, it has been officially reported that in January 2007, an altercation occurred amidst a Hindu group and Muslims during a Muharram procession in Gorakhpur, which led to the hospitalisation of a young Hindu, Raj Kumar Agrahari. The District Magistrate is reported to have said that Adityanath must not visit the site as it may create tensions.

4) The said person can also be seen in a video stating amongst other things that the audience “should dig up the graves of Muslim women and rape the corpses”.

5) In 2011, the documentary film, Saffron War – Radicalization of Hinduism accused Adityanath of promoting communal disharmony in Uttar Pradesh through hate speeches.

6) In an undated video, during a public speech at Azamgarh, whilst referring to religious conversions due to inter-religious marriages, the said person is reported to have said that “if they take one Hindu girl, we will take 100 Muslim girls; in the same video he continues to say “if they kill one Hindu, there will be 100 that we kill”.