Yogi Adityanath defends bulldozer action, says 'law speaks their language'

Yogi Adityanath defends bulldozer action, says law must be enforced firmly, questions religious site disputes, and asserts that Muslims are safest in Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has defended his government’s “bulldozer action,” stating that some people need to be dealt with in a language they understand. Addressing criticism, he said that those who take the law into their own hands will face consequences within the legal framework.

 

  “Those who believe in justice will get justice. But those who try to take justice and the law into their own hands will be taught a lesson within the legal framework. It should be explained in the language they understand. If someone comes at us with violence, should we stand idly? No. If they come with violence, we will have to respond accordingly,” Adityanath said during an interview with news agency ANI.

 

Mathura land dispute

 

Speaking about the ongoing Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Eidgah mosque land dispute in Mathura, Adityanath emphasised that his government is adhering to court directives but hinted that the situation could have escalated otherwise.

 

“Why should we not raise the issue of Mathura? Isn’t Mathura the birthplace of Shri Krishna? We are following court orders. Otherwise, a lot could have happened there,” he said.

 

Sambhal controversy

 

On the dispute in Sambhal, where a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid last year led to violent clashes and deaths, Yogi Adityanath reiterated that the government is operating within legal boundaries. He also questioned the construction of mosques on sites with Hindu history, calling it a "violation of Islamic principles."

 

“There are 64 pilgrimage sites in Sambhal, and we have found 54 so far. Whatever remains, we will find it. The world will see what happened in Sambhal. You have complete freedom of worship, but Islam itself does not accept places of worship built on Hindu sites. Why were they created? This goes against Islamic beliefs,” he said.

 

Minority safety in UP

 

Asserting that minorities are safest in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath claimed that a Muslim family can live securely among 100 Hindu families, but the reverse is not true.

 

“A Muslim family is the safest among a hundred Hindu families. They have the freedom to practice their religion. But can 50 Hindus feel safe among 100 Muslim families? No. Bangladesh is an example. Before that, Pakistan was an example,” he said.

 

‘No riots in UP since 2017’

 

Adityanath, marking eight years in power, credited his administration for ending communal riots in Uttar Pradesh since the BJP took charge in 2017.

 

“In Uttar Pradesh, Muslims are the safest. If Hindus are safe, then they are also safe. Before 2017, when there were riots in UP, Hindu and Muslim shops and houses were burning. But after 2017, riots stopped,” he added.

 

(With ANI inputs)