Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has defended his administration’s warning to Muslims against offering namaz on streets, saying roads are meant for the movement of traffic. 

He also told Muslims to learn religious discipline from Hindus who took part in the massive Maha Kumbh mela without any incident of crime, destruction or harassment. In an exclusive interview to PTI, Adityanath slammed critics of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. 

He said Waqf boards have become a den of selfish interests as well as “loot khasot” (property grabbing), and have done little for the welfare of Muslims. 

Citing examples of charity in fields like education and health by Hindu temples and mutts, he asked if any Waqf board has done welfare work like this despite having properties many times more. Forget about the entire society, have Waqf properties been used for any welfare of Muslims, he asked. 

He said, “It (Waqf) has become a medium to capture any government property. This reform is the need of the hour, and all reforms draw opposition. I believe Muslims will benefit from this (proposed law).” 

Muslims are 20 per cent of the state’s population but their share is 35-40 per cent among the beneficiaries of government welfare schemes, he said, asserting that he does not believe either in discrimination or in appeasement. 

“We always keep ourself away from appeasement. Any needy who is a citizen of India should get every benefit of the government,” he said. 

With his “bulldozer model” now adopted by other states too as a show of quick justice despite frequent questions over its legality, Adityanath told PTI that he did not consider the popular practice as an achievement but a necessity.( PTI)