Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday issued a stern warning following the violent clashes between police and locals in Bareilly, sparked by the 'I Love Muhammad' poster row, stating that the state government has sent a firm message that disruptions to law and order will not be tolerated. He said that those attempting to disrupt peace in the state would face severe consequences.
The comments 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.
Here's what CM Yogi said
Addressing the 'Developed Uttar Pradesh Vision @ 2047' programme organized by the Times of India, the Chief Minister said, "During festivals, you must have seen that earlier disturbances would always begin. Now, these miscreants and rioters will be taught a lesson that their next seven generations will remember. Sometimes, when people do not get rid of their bad habits, we need to give them a little 'denting and painting' to fix them. You saw this ‘denting and painting’ yesterday in Bareilly."
"That Maulana forgot who is in power; he thought he could threaten us and paralyze the city. But we made it clear — there will be no blockade, no curfew. Yet, we will teach such a lesson that their future generations will forget what rioting means," he said.
The Chief Minister added that such disruptions were a common occurrence in Uttar Pradesh before 2017, but his government had put an end to the practice. "Since 2017, we haven't even allowed a curfew to be imposed. Instead, we have dealt with such people in their own language and ensured they are punished. This is where Uttar Pradesh's growth story begins."
"We built bulldozers specifically for those who incite violence based on caste," CM Yogi Adityanath said, emphasising that the government will take strict action against rioters and lawbreakers to maintain peace and order in Uttar Pradesh.
Rioters were given special treatment during previous govts: CM Yogi
CM Yogi further launched a sharp attack on previous governments and alleged that under earlier regimes, criminals, rioters, and mafia elements were "honoured" instead of being punished.
"Rioters were invited to the Chief Minister's residence and given special treatment. The ruling party would lavishly host them and pay homage to professional criminals and mafia members. The ruling politicians would even shake hands with their henchmen. You must have seen many such scenes, where the head of the government would feel proud to shake hands with a mafia don's lackey," CM Yogi said.
Speaking on the state's economic transformation, he credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership for pulling Uttar Pradesh out of the "BIMARU" category. "Everyone knows how Uttar Pradesh's development was halted because of family and caste-based politics, how Uttar Pradesh was set on fire for riots, how the corrupt system made the bureaucracy handicapped, and how the state, once a major constituent of India’s economy, was reduced to BIMAR," he said.
He further said that those who thrived on "Parivarvaad" and self-doubt only dreamt of growth but failed to deliver. "They made Uttar Pradesh a hub of loot and anarchy. But now, under the leadership of PM Modi, we, who had faith in God and our capabilities, were confident that we would take Uttar Pradesh off the list of BIMARU states. Today, UP has a revenue surplus of Rs 70,000 crore. A state with such a large population is fulfilling its responsibilities without hindrance," the CM said.
'I Love Muhammad' row
The controversy originated on September 9 when boards reading "I Love Muhammad" were allegedly installed on a public road during a Barawafat procession in Kanpur, which Hindu groups objected to as a "deliberate provocation".
On Friday, violence erupted in Bareilly after the prayers in connection with the "I Love Muhammad" poster controversy, sending shockwaves across the city. During clashes, police resorted to lathi charge and lobbed tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, creating a stampede-like situation. Police said the protesters also fired in the air, and more than 20 cops were injured in the stone-pelting. So far, 30 rioters have been arrested in connection with the Bareilly violence, while more than 50 people remain in custody and are being interrogated. Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan has been placed under house arrest and may be questioned today.
District Magistrate Avinash Singh had confirmed that Section 163 of the BNSS (power to issue order in urgent cases of nuisance or apprehended danger) was in effect, requiring written permission for any march or demonstration.
Despite this, some individuals took to the streets, attempting to disrupt peace, leading to strict police action and the detention of over two dozen people.
DIG Ajay Kumar Sahni indicated the clashes hinted at a "pre-planned conspiracy", vowing to identify all perpetrators using video evidence and ensuring "exemplary punishment" to deter any future repeat of such episodes.
Also Read: 'I Love Muhammad' row: 5-day planning behind violent protest in Bareilly, govt likely to invoke NSA
