Lucknow: Two days after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee refused to deliver a speech in Kolkata to a crowd that greeted her with ‘Jai Shri Ram’, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath said the chant was a gesture of etiquette and a matter of pride, and no one should feel upset about it.
“Ek aam aadmi ke liye, ‘Jai Shri Ram’ bolna ek shistachar ka sambodhan hain… (For a common man, saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’ is a gesture of etiquette). We are not forcing it on anyone. If someone does ‘namaskar’ or greets in his native language or says ‘Jai Shri Ram’, why should anyone feel bad about it,” said CM Adityanath during an interaction with reporters in Lucknow Monday.
The CM added that undue importance should not be given to such issues.
The incident happened Saturday at the Victoria Memorial Hall in Kolkata where PM Narendra Modi and West Bengal CM were on the dais to pay tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his 124th birth anniversary. The day is marked as Parakram Diwas.
Adityanath also said there should be no doubt in anybody’s mind about BJP forming the government in West Bengal. “BJP is getting massive support from the people of West Bengal and the party is confident of coming to power with a good mandate.”
Further, he ruled out any possibility of him playing a bigger role nationally given a growing clamour for him to campaign in other states ahead of every election.
“When elections happen in our state, BJP workers from other states come to campaign. If an election happens in other states, then as a worker of the party, we also go there to campaign. Hum usi bhumika ke saath wahan jaate hain aur ek party, ek parivar ke roop mein hone ke nate hum janata se samarthan mangne ke liye jaate hain (We go as one party-one family to ask people to vote for us),” Adityanath said.
Also read: Why Bengal can vote for BJP, even though Mamata Banerjee is still invincible
‘Anti-conversion law need of the day’
On the recently passed anti-conversion bill in the state, Adityanath cited the Kerala High Court judgment to justify it.
In a judgment delivered 12 years ago, the Kerala High Court had told the state to bring a law to reign in such malfeasance wherein division was being created in society by trickery and cheating, Adityanath said.
“If the Kerala government could not make a law then, what could we do? In our state, there was no necessity for any direction. We felt that if a particular trend is creating division in the society or if because of it, things could lead to serious law and order situation, then naturally we will bring a law for the security of the 24 crore people of the state,” the CM said.
Adityanath said that laws are not made for profit or loss, but “for the betterment of the state and its people”.
“Whatever is required to be done, we will do. We felt that it is the need of the day, and I am grateful that many states in the country and the common people have supported it.”
He added, “If you leave the political agenda, in general the common man has supported this law and it is the need of today. And it’s not only UP. It (religious conversion for marriage) is becoming a problem for not only India, but the world too.”
Also read: What UP govt’s new anti-conversion law says, and origin of ‘love jihad’
‘UP will not split, personal liquor license for state well being’
In his interaction, the UP CM touched upon several other issues, such as division of state, the ongoing farmer protests and the new liquor policy.
Ruling out any plans to divide the state, Adityanath said: “Uttar Pradesh is Uttar Pradesh. There are glorious traditions of the past that are linked to UP. People of the state are proud of these traditions. We work for uniting and not dividing”.
On the ongoing farmers agitation, the CM said the Centre is open to talks with the farmer leaders.
“The Centre has adopted a very positive stand and is negotiating with farmers. It has proposed alternatives also to the farmers … The Centre is in favour of taking the talks ahead on those issues only. Many of the people who are opposing the law today are those who supported the ordinance,” he noted.
On a new excise policy that requires individuals bulk stocking alcohol at home to get a liquor license, Adityanath said it was needed for the well being of the state.
The new policy was cleared by the UP cabinet last week and requires individuals to get the license even for personal use. This, Adityanath said, is an attempt to make Uttar Pradesh a booze-free state since no policy can be implemented forcibly.
“Whatever action needs to be taken for the well being of the state, we will take it … We want to check the smuggling of liquor and it is not misused. The state already has a liquor policy and we are just taking it forward,” he added.
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