BJP’s Yogi Adityanath defies ban, addresses election rally in Lucknow

Lucknow: BJP MP Yogi Adityanath defied a ban on his election rally by addressing it on Wednesday and accused the SP government of following a communal agenda.

Claiming that he was not allowed to hold meetings in Thakurdwara, Mainpuri and Nighasan where Assembly by-elections are being held, Adityanath addressed one of them using his mobile phone.

Later in the state capital, he defied police, which had withdrawn permission to him to address an election meeting at Indira Nagar locality by appearing on the stage.

Adityanath accused the district administration of not allowing him at the behest of the Uttar Pradesh government.

"I had to hold meetings at Thakurdwara, Mainpuri and Nighasan but the district administration did not allow me to do so. The district administration had withdrawn permission on directions of the government in an illegal way," he alleged.

He was addressing an election meeting at Munshipulia area in Indira Nagar locality in favour of BJP candidate Gopalji Tondon, who is contesting from Lucknow East seat vacated by BJP leader Kalraj Mishra.

Alleging that he was given notices as he was raising voice against "communal agenda" of the state government, Adityanath said in UP over 450 riots had taken place and that was enough to prove the communal agenda of the state government.

The Election Commission has issued a show cause notice to the BJP MP for violating the model code of conduct by making allegedly inflammatory remarks while campaigning for assembly bypolls in Noida.

Adityanath said though these bye-elections would not affect the state or the central government, it was certain that BJP's victory would start the countdown of the SP government.

When asked about Adityanath holding the meeting without permission of the administration, Senior Superintendent of Police Pravin Kumar said the matter would be looked into and FIR would be lodged in it.

"We will look into it and lodge an FIR for holding the meeting without permission," Kumar said.

"BJP had earlier sought permission for holding the meeting and they were granted it. Later, they said they will not hold the meeting and the permission was cancelled. They again sought permission this evening but that could not be granted in a short time," he said.

Adityanath alleged that the government was pursuing a communal agenda to appease a particular community.

"They will give Rs 300 crore in the name of boundary of graveyards, but are not concerned with the poor state of roads and power crisis. Children are dying untimely due to lack of health facilities and plight of farmers, who are forced to commit suicide," he alleged.

"Taking forward its communal agenda the government only wants to appease a particular community," he said, adding that this type of treatment is "blot on democracy".

He alleged that notices were being issued so that he did not speak against the government's communal agenda and corruption.

"Riots are taking place in UP. We are not responsible for the riots. More than 450 riots have taken place in the last two-and-a-half years. The reason behind the riots reflect communal agenda of this government," he alleged.

The BJP MP said his party talks about all religions and is not responsible for riots.

"We have not divided the society on the basis of minority or majority, but despite all this we are being accused of being communal," he said.

Adityanath said that people were being told not to raise slogan of Jai Shri Ram.

"We are being told not to raise slogan of Jai Shri Ram then what slogan should be raise. We are asked not to chant Bharat Mata Ki Jai. How is it possible that we do not praise the motherland?" he said.

The MP said no power could take them away from the faith people have in Ram Janmbhoomi, Shri Krishna and Lord Shiva.

"We can leave politics, but we cannot do this. But at the behest of the government the administration is preparing a strategy that if we raise slogan of Jai Shri Ram and praise Bharat Mata then false cases would be lodged against us. We will fight against this," he said.

Adityanath alleged that while rioters were being honoured by the Chief Minister, nationalist workers were being sent to jail.

"We have seen this in Moradabad, Bareilly and Muzaffarnagar. Cases of terrorist are being withdrawn and BJP workers are being lodged jailed. We must get rid of this anarchy," he said.