Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 8 (HBTV): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said he ended the Eid Milan tradition at the Chief Minister’s residence to uphold the secular character of the country.
Addressing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) centenary programme, Adityanath said that no Diwali Milan or Holi Milan gatherings were held at the Chief Minister’s residence or the Raj Bhavan, adding that individuals are free to organise such events privately.
‘When I became the CM, there was a system that Eid Milan programmes would always be held at the CM residence and the Raj Bhavan; there were no Holi Milan or Diwali Milan programmes. We decided that if we have given a secular status to the traditions of India, then the CM residence and the Raj Bhavan should also follow it, and we will not organise any such events. Anyone else can organise these programmes on their own,’ Adityanath said.
Discussing Hindu festivals, he said, ‘Our festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm. Every month, we celebrate one festival or another. Each festival is rooted in tradition and history. Our sages gave them a cultural and religious form so that anyone, regardless of caste, community, or class, can celebrate them. People celebrate festivals with mutual respect, but we rarely see them coming together as one.’
Highlighting the role of the RSS, the Chief Minister said it was India’s ‘good fortune’ to have such an organisation.
‘It is India’s good fortune that it has a voluntary organisation like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which was formed without government support and sustained by volunteers. The RSS has done better work in Naxalite areas within the country than any other government. The whole world is watching as an RSS volunteer leads India as the Prime Minister,’ Adityanath said.
Speaking about the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, he added, ‘Five to seven years ago, people from the Congress, Samajwadi Party, and the INDI alliance used to ask if we would be able to build the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. We and the Sangh volunteers always said it would definitely be built. They were imprisoned, lathi-charged, and even shot at. The result is before us: the temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya is being constructed.’
Adityanath also mentioned the state government’s recent decision to ban Halal certification, alleging that the money involved in it was being ‘misused for terrorism, love jihad, and religious conversions’.
‘When purchasing any item, check if it has a Halal certification label. We have banned it in UP. Today, no one in the state will dare to buy or sell such products. When we initiated the proceedings, INR 25,000 crore was being earned through Halal certification in the country, and no agency of the Indian or state government had recognised it. All this money was being misused for terrorism, love jihad, and religious conversions,’ he claimed.
‘Strict action must be taken against those exploiting Indian consumers in the name of Halal certification. And at what level is this conspiracy taking place? We have arrested Jalaluddin (Changur Baba) in Balrampur as an example. Why is there no discussion about political Islam? Our ancestors also fought against political Islam,’ he added.
(ANI)