Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday claimed that Kanwar Yatris are being subjected to "media trials" that portray them as 'hooligans' and 'terrorists'.
Speaking in Varanasi, Adityanath praised Kanwar Yatra as a remarkable demonstration of social unity that transcends caste, regional, and class boundaries.
"The Kanwar Yatra is going on. From the lowest section of society, that is, the labour class, to the upper class, every person is connected with the campaign—an amazing confluence of unity. There is no discrimination: no discrimination of caste, no discrimination of region, no discrimination of class, no discrimination of ideology, no discrimination of religion. Everyone walks chanting Har Har Bam Bam, walking 304 kilometers on foot. Then, after taking the water from there, they place the kanwar on their shoulder and again walk in the same way with the same devotion," Yogi said.
"But there is media trial , there is media trial—they are defamed, a lot is written about them. There is even the insolence to call them rioters and terrorists. This is the mentality that wants to insult India's heritage in every way. These are the same people who tried to separate the tribal community from India, tried to provoke them, conspired at every level to make them fight against India," he added.
Adityanath warned against social media campaigns allegedly aimed at stoking caste conflicts, urging institutions to remain vigilant in protecting national unity.
"These are the same people that have always insulted India's faith. And these are the very people who now, by creating fake accounts on social media platforms, want to create a situation of caste conflict ," the UP CM said.
"If we stay alert to all of this and can protect ourselves, can protect our society, then our institutions can play a big role in strengthening national unity and contributing positively in the present time," he added.
This comes amid several reports that flagged incidents of violence and vandalism linked to the Kanwar Yatra.
Earlier in the week, Uttarakhand Police arrested four Kanwariyas for allegedly blocking the Delhi-Haridwar National Highway and damaging public property near Bahadarabad, news agency PTI reported.
Officials said the pilgrims created a ruckus over a "trivial matter" and obstructed traffic by putting up barricades.
In Muzaffarnagar, a group of Kanwariyas allegedly vandalised a roadside eatery, claiming its Muslim owners had not clearly displayed their identities, according to PTI. Police have also warned pilgrims against riding motorcycles without silencers and have initiated action in some cases.
Speaking in Varanasi, Adityanath praised Kanwar Yatra as a remarkable demonstration of social unity that transcends caste, regional, and class boundaries.
"The Kanwar Yatra is going on. From the lowest section of society, that is, the labour class, to the upper class, every person is connected with the campaign—an amazing confluence of unity. There is no discrimination: no discrimination of caste, no discrimination of region, no discrimination of class, no discrimination of ideology, no discrimination of religion. Everyone walks chanting Har Har Bam Bam, walking 304 kilometers on foot. Then, after taking the water from there, they place the kanwar on their shoulder and again walk in the same way with the same devotion," Yogi said.
"But there is media trial , there is media trial—they are defamed, a lot is written about them. There is even the insolence to call them rioters and terrorists. This is the mentality that wants to insult India's heritage in every way. These are the same people who tried to separate the tribal community from India, tried to provoke them, conspired at every level to make them fight against India," he added.
Adityanath warned against social media campaigns allegedly aimed at stoking caste conflicts, urging institutions to remain vigilant in protecting national unity.
"These are the same people that have always insulted India's faith. And these are the very people who now, by creating fake accounts on social media platforms, want to create a situation of caste conflict ," the UP CM said.
"If we stay alert to all of this and can protect ourselves, can protect our society, then our institutions can play a big role in strengthening national unity and contributing positively in the present time," he added.
This comes amid several reports that flagged incidents of violence and vandalism linked to the Kanwar Yatra.
Earlier in the week, Uttarakhand Police arrested four Kanwariyas for allegedly blocking the Delhi-Haridwar National Highway and damaging public property near Bahadarabad, news agency PTI reported.
Officials said the pilgrims created a ruckus over a "trivial matter" and obstructed traffic by putting up barricades.
In Muzaffarnagar, a group of Kanwariyas allegedly vandalised a roadside eatery, claiming its Muslim owners had not clearly displayed their identities, according to PTI. Police have also warned pilgrims against riding motorcycles without silencers and have initiated action in some cases.
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