‘Offer prayers in shifts’: Adityanath warns against namaz on roads, tells Muslims to ‘control’ population numbers

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday warned against the offering of namaz on roads and suggested that such religious practices should be conducted in shifts at designated places of worship.

Speaking at an event organised by a Hindi newspaper in Lucknow, Mr. Adityanath stressed that blocking traffic to offer namaz or any other religious practice will not be allowed by his government.

“After all, roads are meant for commuting, not to create a ‘tamasha‘ [scene]. What right does anyone have to block a road? Let them go and offer prayers at their designated places of worship,” he said.

The Chief Minister’s remarks come days ahead of Eid-ul-Adha, which will be observed on May 28.

Mr. Adityanath said he had reminded the community to offer prayers in shifts.

“If you lack the space to accommodate everyone in your homes, then you must exercise control over your numbers [population],” he said.

“Furthermore, if you wish to coexist within this system, you must abide by its rules and laws. The rule of law shall prevail. If offering namaz is essential to you, then do so in shifts. We will not stop you from praying. However, it will not be permitted on the streets,” he added.

Mr. Adityanath warned that his government has made it clear to every citizen of the State that such disruptions on roads will not be tolerated anymore.

“We will not allow anarchy to spread on the streets. If you comply peacefully, it is well and good. If you don’t, we will be forced to take other measures. Our primary objective is to engage in dialogue. If you listen to us, excellent. If not, be prepared to face the consequences of confrontation,” he said.

“In Bareilly, some individuals attempted to test our resolve, and they certainly witnessed the extent of our power,” he said.

The Chief Minister said that his government has adopted a positive approach towards governance and has worked without any discrimination on the basis of caste, region, language, or religion.

“We have said that the entire population of the state, every single resident, is part of our family. We have to work with the aim of holistic development,” Mr. Adityanath said.

Reacting to the Chief Minister’s statement, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Fakhrul Hasan Chaand said the Constitution gives religious freedom to everyone.

“Elections are coming up in Uttar Pradesh next year. And whenever elections draw near, the BJP’s lens becomes religiously tinted,” he said.

Mr. Chaand said the Chief Minister’s statements are to distract people from core issues, such as aspirant teachers not getting jobs, unemployment, inflation, and problems faced by youths and farmers.

“The Samajwadi Party is ready. The PDA (Picchde, Dalit, Alpsankhyak, or Backwards, Dalits and Minorities) are ready to take on the BJP and its divisive and hateful politics. Neither Samajwadi Party nor any other opposition party will allow the negative politics of the BJP to dominate the discourse,” he told PTI Videos.