After Suresh Rana, Adityanath latest BJP leader to issue controversial statements

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to outlaw candidates from seeking votes on the basis of religion, caste, race, community or language, the Minister of Home Affairs and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajnath Singh supported the apex court’s ruling, saying “BJP neither did politics of polarisation nor will it do so in the future”.

But it seems the memo from the party high command hasn’t reached its foot soldiers yet, as is known to happen with the BJP from time to time. So while Singh vowed to never indulge in “politics of polarisation”, BJP leaders in poll bound Uttar Pradesh (UP) are going all out to fan the flames of hatred between religious groups. Speaking in Ghaziabad district’s Sahibabad on Monday, BJP Member of Parliament (MP) Yogi Adityanath likened the situation in western UP to that of Kashmir following the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley in 1990. “On January 19, 1990, Hindus had to migrate collectively from Kashmir,” he said during the rally. “A massacre took place, the honour of mothers and sisters were openly tramped upon. If we have seen a sight similar to this anywhere, it was either in Bengal or western UP. Kairana and Kandhla are examples.” Adityanath was referring to the alleged exodus of Hindus from the town of Kairana in western UP’s Shamli district brought to light by BJP MP Hukum Singh, a claim which has since been challenged.

During the rally, which was also attended by Ghaziabad MP VK Singh, Adityanath claimed that if Hindus are “tortured” it doesn’t become an issue “but if a thorn pricks the foot of someone from the minority community, it becomes an issue”. Adityanath also praised American president Donald Trump in his speech, saying India also needed to enact a ban on Muslims.

Adityanath isn’t the only one who resorted to hate-mongering as UP prepares to go to polls. This past Saturday, BJP Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Suresh Rana said in a rally that curfew would be imposed in Kairana, Deoband and Moradabad if he won. On January 17, another BJP MLA Sangeet Som’s campaign vehicle allegedly broadcasted video clips from the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots.