Yogi Adityanath thanks Muslim clerics for shifting namaz timings during Holi

Gorakhpur (UP), Mar 5: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath thanked Muslim clerics for shifting the timing of 'namaz' prayers in order to avoid any clash with Holi revellers.

"I want to thank the Muslim clerics for changing the time of 'Jumma Namaz' for Holi. Jumma comes 52 times in a year and Holi comes once. They (clerics) decided to reschedule the namaz after Holi. The festival went off peacefully,'' he said while addressing public meetings ahead of the Gorakhpur bypoll. ''People were apprehensive as Holi and Jumma were on the same day, but Hindu brothers celebrated Holi peacefully. Riots had taken place in earlier years when people used to come out of mosques after offering prayers and Hindus used to play Holi, but this time round everything went off peacefully," the chief minister said.

Attacking the previous Samajwadi party government for "honouring" people who instigated riots, Adityanath said, "During the previous government, especially on Holi, riots were common ...innocent people faced the brunt while the wrong-doers were honoured". Continuing his attack on the coming together of SP and BSP for the Gorakhpur and Phulpur Lok Sabha bypolls, he said.

The BJP is on its way to ensure development. We will usher in investment worth crores of rupees in the state in one year". ''When they (BSP-SP) felt that chances of loot have become difficult, they shook hands...thieves became brothers (chor chor mausere bhai)," he said at a meeting in Ghaghsara.

Attacking the "politics of dynasty, caste and region", the priest-turned-politician said ''We will provide jobs without any discrimination ...earlier people of only one area and culture used to get jobs.'' ''During the previous government, only one family moved on the path of prosperity and development and people of the state became poor. But BJP brought development for all and ended the era of family-based politics,'' he said. The BJP leader also criticised the condition of roads during the Samajwadi Party government, but "now roads were getting better and would be widened by seven meters".

PTI