Cautioning people against dismissing events in Bangladesh as distant or irrelevant, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said “actions” of Mughal Emperor Babur’s commanders in Ayodhya and Sambhal some 500 years ago and the incidents happening in the neighbouring country now share the same underlying nature and intent”.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 43rd Ramayana Mela at Ram Katha Park in Ayodhya, the BJP chief minister said: “Look at the kind of acts our enemies in neighbouring countries are committing. Remember this, if anyone is under any illusion. 500 years ago, a general of Babur committed certain deeds in Ayodhya, similar acts in Sambhal, and what is happening today in Bangladesh — the nature and DNA of all three are the same.”
“Had we given importance to unity and not let the strategy of the nation’s enemies succeed in creating social animosity, this country would have never become a slave. Our pilgrimages would not have been desecrated. A handful of invaders would not have dared to invade us and would be crushed by India’s brave soldiers,” Adityanath said.
“But those creating obstacles within the society were able to succeed. Their genes remain the same even today. Those who indulge in caste-based politics to shatter the social fabric are still active… Divisive forces are already active in our society, working relentlessly to erode social harmony and unity and making full arrangements aapko kaatne aur katwaane ka… These forces aim to create rifts, stir discord, and incite violence… These divisive forces include many who have purchased properties in countries around the world. When a crisis strikes here, they will flee to those places, leaving the people here to suffer and die. This is what they do,” he said.
Ever since the Sheikh Hasina-led Bangladesh government was toppled in August this year after intense student protests, the Muslim-majority neighbouring country has reported widespread violence against religious minorities, including the Hindu community.
Violence took place in Sambhal last month, leading to the killing of four persons over the court-ordered survey of a local mosque.
Recalling the slogan from 1990s: “Jo Ram ka nahi, vo kisi kaam ka nahi” (Those who do not stand with Ram, stand for nothing), the CM said that anyone lacking reverence for Lord Ram and Mother Janaki should be treated as an adversary. .
Highlighting Lord Ram’s legacy of unifying India and fostering social cohesion, the CM stressed that a focus on unity could have prevented foreign invasions and the desecration of sacred sites.
The CM said the Ramayana Mela, which began in 1982, was originally inspired by socialist thinker Dr Ram Manohar Lohia. “He (Lohia) introduced Ramayana festivals across different regions. When asked how India maintains its unity amidst diversity, Dr Lohia, despite not being a temple-goer, affirmed that India’s strength lies in its faith in its three revered deities—Lord Ram, Lord Krishna, and Lord Shiva. He believed that as long as this faith endures, India’s unity and integrity will remain unshakable,” the CM said as he criticised modern socialists for abandoning Dr Lohia’s ideals.
“The government has erected a 56-foot-high statue in Shringaverpur, symbolizing the enduring significance of Lord Ram’s teachings,” he added.
