Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said his government will crush any attempt to disturb law and order in the state with the strongest possible action.
The Chief Minister stated this while holding a meeting with senior police and administrative officials through a video conference to monitor the law‑and‑order situation in the state.
His remarks come in the wake of clashes between police and protesters in Bareilly yesterday, in which more than a dozen people, including several police personnel, were injured.
Similar protests have taken place recently in other cities, including Kanpur and Unnao. Uttar Pradesh Adityanath directed that action be taken against rioters in a manner that would deter any future attempts. The State police is maintaining extra vigil in sensitive areas across several districts in the wake of the recent protests.
The comments, made while speaking at a ‘Viksit UP’ event of a media house, appear to be directed at cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan, chief of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council, who had initially called for a protest in support of the “I Love Muhammad” campaign.
“Yesterday, a Maulana forgot who is in power in the State,” CM Adityanath said, without taking any names.
“He thought he could halt the system whenever he wanted, but we made it clear that there would be neither a roadblock nor a curfew. However, the lesson we have taught will make future generations think twice before rioting,” he said.
The Chief Minister questioned the intent behind the public gathering. “What kind of way is this to halt the system? This was the trend in U.P. before 2017, but after 2017, we have not allowed even a curfew. The story of Uttar Pradesh’s development begins here.”
His statement follows a day of tension in Bareilly where police clashed with a large crowd carrying “I Love Muhammad” posters outside a mosque in the Kotwali area after Friday prayers. The crowd was reportedly angry over the last-minute cancellation of a proposed demonstration by Tauqeer Raza Khan, who claimed authorities denied permission.
