Five Highlights From UP CM Yogi Adityanath's Latest Interview

In an interview with ANI, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath discussed many issues including the Gyanvapi dispute, law and order in UP, Manipur violence and Opposition alliance etc.

Here are the five key things that he said during the interview:

1. There Will Be A Dispute If Gyanvapi Is Called A Mosque

CM Yogi said that there will be a dispute if disputed Gyanvapi complex is called a mosque.

"If we call it a mosque, there will be a dispute. I feel whoever has been blessed with sight by God, that person should see. What is a trishul (trident) doing inside a mosque. We did not put it there. There is a jyotirlinga, dev pratimas (idols)," he said.

CM Yogi added that there has been a "historical mistake" by the Muslim side, and thus, they should step forward for its resolution.

"The walls (of the Gyanvapi) are screaming and saying something. I feel there should be a proposal from the Muslim society that there has been a historical mistake and we need a solution," the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said in the podcast with ANI's Smita Prakash.

2. No Riots, Curfew In UP

Hitting out at his critics, CM Yogi said that there had been no "riot, curfew" in UP in the last six years.

"I have been CM for over 6 years now. There have been no riots in the state since 2017. No curfew was imposed in the past 6 years and all festivals were celebrated peacefully,” CM Yogi said when asked about the criticism of his Hindu hardliner image.

CM Yogi attacked the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal over the violence that erupted during the Panchayat polls in the state and alleged that his critics wants to make the entire country like ‘West Bengal’. 

“People who talk big, see how elections are to be held. There were elections to urban bodies, panchayats, assembly in Uttar Pradesh and panchayat elections were held in West Bengal. What happened? Do they want to make the country (like) West Bengal, the way the TMC government did in West Bengal (and the UP government),” there is a difference,” he said.

“We did not resort to pretence or hypocrisy. Everybody has the right to fight elections and the person should get it. They can contest the election and if they are capable, they will win. If we are capable, we will win, if we are not, we will lose and it should be like that. If the person is an opponent and capable of winning, he should win. This is a democratic right. We cannot deprive him of this,” he added.

4. Peace to be restored in Manipur

Speaking on Manipur violence, the UP Chief Minister said that peace will be restored in the northeastern state at the earliest. He also added that the BJP government in the state will also undertake several developmental works in the state.

5. Opposition Alliance

CM Yogi also slammed the Opposition alliance, I.N.D.I.A, saying that the Opposition parties can't get rid of their past misdeeds by changing the name.

He also questioned the leadership of the Opposition alliance, asking that who is the leader of the the 26-party opposition alliance.

"Who's their captain, our captain is Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.

"PM Modi is leading the country as the captain of team BJP, team NDA and team India," he added.