Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Thursday that those in the Samajwadi Party and the Congress who are opposed to singing of national song Vande Mataram should be “held by their ears and thrown out”.
The Chief Minister made the remarks while speaking during the discussion on the ‘Motion of Thanks’ to the Governor’s address. Terming Vande Mataram as a symbol of national pride and a legacy of India’s freedom movement, he said it must be respected by everyone living in the country. Adityanath urged Opposition parties to clearly state their position and ensure that no one in their ranks disrespects the national song. He asserted that any insult to the song should not be tolerated.
“Babar ki kabar mein sajde ka samarthan karte hain, aur Vande Mataram ka virodh karte hain. Mafiaon ki kabar mein fatiha padhne jaate hain (They support offering of prayers at Babur’s grave but oppose Vande Mataram. They read fatiha on the graves of the mafia as well),” he alleged.
When Congress Legislature Party leader Aradhana Mishra objected that their party was not opposed to Vande Mataram, Adityanath said that MPs of both the Congress and Samajwadi Party have opposed singing it.
The CM also criticised the Opposition for creating a ruckus during the Governor’s address in the Assembly, saying such conduct had once tarnished the state’s image.
Addressing the House on the fifth day of the ongoing Budget session, the chief minister took a swipe at the Samajwadi Party and other opposition members for their protest during the address of Governor Anandiben Patel earlier this week.
“The perception of the state did not suddenly deteriorate. This was the behaviour that alarmed the daughters and the business community. A glimpse of which was seen during the Governor’s address. And under no circumstances will anyone from the state accept this,” Adityanath said.
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He said the conduct of the Samajwadi Party and other principal opposition parties had left the entire House feeling hurt.
The Chief Minister, however, noted that in the past nine years, there had been very few occasions when the Assembly proceedings were disrupted.
“For most of the time, members have effectively put forward their views in the House, and ministers have responded to them or taken cognisance of the issues raised,” he said. Also, he said the state has transitioned from a “fear zone” to a “faith zone” over the past nine years, moving away from a history of riots towards a culture of festivals.
He said the state now embodies “Triple-T”, which he defined as technology, trust and transformation. He noted that the journey since 2017 has been defined by a shift from “crime and disorder to discipline” and from “curfew to rule of law”.
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Targeting the Samajwadi Party, Adityanath alleged that mafia elements enjoyed political patronage prior to 2017. He said his government’s “zero tolerance” policy towards crime has ensured that no communal riots have occurred in the state during his tenure.
The chief minister informed the House that over 2.19 lakh police personnel have been recruited in the past eight years. This includes 44,000 women, marking a significant increase in female representation within the force. He highlighted that cyber crime police stations are now operational in all 75 districts, supported by new forensic laboratories and mobile vans.
Citing NITI Aayog data, Adityanath said more than six crore people in the state have been lifted out of multidimensional poverty. He credited the expansion of housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and health coverage under Ayushman Bharat for this shift.
He noted that the number of medical colleges has increased from 36 to 81, while AIIMS facilities now operational in Gorakhpur and Raebareli.
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Also, Adityanath informed the house that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would lay the foundation stone of a semiconductor manufacturing unit on February 21. It may be mentioned that the unit is being set up as a joint venture of HCL Group and Foxconn in Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) area.
Addresses row over Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Meanwhile, Nearly a month after a row between the district administration and Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati during the Magh Mela in Prayagraj, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said in the Assembly that not everyone could use the title of ‘Shankaracharya’, and asserted that religious decorum and rule of law must be upheld during all events.
Speaking directly on the matter for the first time without taking any name, Adityanath said, “Not every person can write Shankaracharya before his name. Not everyone can claim to be the ‘acharya’ of a ”peeth’ and vitiate the atmosphere at will. Everyone has to follow certain limits.” The remarks followed a dispute between the fair administration and Saraswati over the use of the title ‘Shankaracharya’ during the Magh Mela, and the circumstances under which he was stopped while heading towards the Sangam for a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya.
— PTI inputs
