Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday warned Muslims to follow government orders or get ready to face the consequences.
Referring to a long-pending demand of some Muslim organisations to let them offer namaz outside mosques, Adityanath said at an event here: “Learn to follow the rules if you want to live within the system. The rule of law is the same for all. You can offer namaz in shifts if it is necessary. We’ll not stop you, but don’t do it on the roads. The road is for a common man, someone who is unwell, an employee, a businessman… we will not let you block roads.”
Adityanath said he had made it clear that he would not let anarchy prevail on the roads.
“It is fine if they accept it with love, but we will adopt another method if they don’t follow the rules. It is my job to initiate dialogues. It is good if you are ready for a dialogue. But if you are not ready, then you can take the path of strife and see (the results). People tried to challenge (the government) in Bareilly, and saw the power (of the government),” he said.
Bareilly is an important centre of learning for the Barelvi sect of the Sunni community, which dominates the Muslim population in India and many other Islamic countries.
Adityanath had banned Friday prayers on roads after taking over as chief minister in 2017. The district magistrates were directed to enforce the administrative order. Although the community had accepted the diktat, the state has witnessed isolated cases of its violation in Bareilly, Sambhal and Moradabad.
Maulana Tauqeer Raza, founder of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council and an important cleric from the Barelvi sect, was arrested on September 26 last year for taking out a procession after offering Friday prayers to support the “I Love Mohammed” campaign launched by some Muslims across the state.
He is currently out on bail.
“People (in other states) ask me whether it is true that namaz is not offered on the roads in Uttar Pradesh and I say: ‘You go and see for yourself. Roads are for the movement of the people and not for any tamasha (spectacle)’,” Adityanath said.