‘Nautanki’ comment only the latest of Yogi’s controversial rants 

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on a visit to the unmanned crossing in Kushinagar where 13 school children died in an accident on April 26, lost his temper and asked the grieving families and protesting people to ‘stop their drama’ (nautanki band karo).

This is not the language that is becoming of a Chief Minister in a civilised society. This statement not only reflects his ego and insensitivity, but also his crudeness.

Yogi Adityanath has always stayed in the limelight for using this kind of language. Everyone is aware of the story of how Ajay Singh Bisht of Uttarakhand became Yogi Adityanath. He has always had an image of a fundamentalist Hindu leader and he is keen to maintain this image.

Over the past few years, Yogi Adityanath has ensured a steady flow of such statements which have sparked controversies. Here are just a few of his statements and the controversies they caused:

The rise in Muslim population will create population imbalance in India

About two and a half years ago, when Yogi Adityanath was MP from Gorakhpur, he had said, “If the Muslim population continues to increase at the same rate, there will be a situation of population imbalance in India.” This statement raised a furore in political corridors and among the masses alike.

Those opposing ‘surya namaskar’ should drown in the ocean

When in 2015, everyone in India was discussing the significance of Yoga, Yogi Adityanath had said the people opposing ‘surya namaskar’ should drown themselves in the ocean. He went to the extent of saying that Lord Shankar was the biggest Yogi who started Yoga, and those who want to avoid Yoga and Lord Shankar can leave Hindustan.

No difference between Shah Rukh Khan and Hafiz Saeed

In 2015, when the entire country was discussing the rise of intolerance, then MP Yogi Adityanath had said that there was no difference between the language of Shah Rukh Khan and (terror mastermind) Hafeez Saeed. He had said that there is a conspiracy going on for poisoning the atmosphere of the country and Shah Rukh Khan has also become a part of it.

Secularism a threat to national security

In July 2012, addressing a rally in Basti, the then MP Adityanath had said that secularism is fast becoming a challenge to the security of the country. It may pose a threat to national security, he added.

Religious conversion of 100 Muslim girls for one Hindu girl’s conversion

When the Modi government came into power at the Centre in 2014, the issue of ‘Love Jihad’ was stirred up once again. At that time a video had emerged on social media in which Yogi Adityanath could be seen saying, “if they convert one Hindu girl, we will convert 100 Muslim girls.”

If non-Muslims are not allowed in Mecca then non-Hindus should not be allowed in India

Addressing a gathering at Vishwa Hindu Parishad’s ‘Virat Hindu Sammelan’, which was organised as part of its golden jubilee year celebration in Varanasi, Yogi Adityanath had said non-Muslims are not allowed in Mecca, non-Christians are not allowed in Vatican, then how can everyone come here!