Hindustan Times (Lucknow)

ARSONISTS WILL BE DEALT WITH STERNLY: YOGI

CAA in line with our culture, says Adityanath

- HT Correspond­ent letters@hindustant­imes.com ■

GORAKHPUR/VARANASI: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday reiterated his government’s stance on violence during protests and said that people found setting public property afire would be dealt with sternly.

Yogi also lashed out at educationa­l institutio­ns which, he said, indulged in anti-national activities during protests against the Citizenshi­p (Amendment) Act. Violence had led to 19 deaths during anti-CAA protests across the state.

“The CAA is in line with our ancient culture to provide refuge to those who come for shelter. It’s about providing citizenshi­p to the oppressed and prosecuted Hindus from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanista­n and not render someone else homeless,” said the chief minister.

On violence and damage to public property during protests, Yogi said, “The money for public property set on fire, damaged and ransacked did not come from the government or individual­s, it was all public money collected through tax. No one will be permitted to burn public property...”

GORAKHPUR/VARANASI: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday reiterated his government’s stance on violence during protests and said that people found setting public property afire would be dealt with sternly.

Speaking in Gorakpur after inaugurati­ng and laying the foundation stone of projects worth ~185 crore, Yogi also lashed out at educationa­l institutio­ns which, he said, indulged in antination­al activities during protests against the Citizenshi­p (Amendment) Act.

Violence had led to 19 deaths during anti-CAA protests across the state.

“The CAA is in line with our ancient culture to provide refuge to those who come for shelter. It’s about providing citizenshi­p to the oppressed and persecuted Hindus from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanista­n and not render someone else homeless,” said the chief minister.

On large-scale violence and damage to public property during protests, Yogi said, “The money for public property set on fire, damaged and ransacked did not come from the government or individual­s, it was all public money collected through tax. No one will be permitted to burn public property...That is why we decided to recover the losses from those who caused them.”

“We also asked the authoritie­s to identify the faces of such elements. Such people should mend their ways or we will send them where they want to go,” said the CM.

Without naming any university, the chief minister said, “In recent days, complaints of antiIndia sloganeeri­ng came from some educationa­l institutio­ns of the country. A law (CAA) which has been enacted in the interest of country is opposed in these institutio­ns.”

Earlier, at the beginning of his 25-minute long speech, Yogi called upon academic institutio­ns and students of universiti­es, colleges and schools to fulfil their responsibi­lities by studying the CAA and reaching out to the masses to clear their doubts about it.

› In recent days, complaints of anti-India sloganeeri­ng came from some educationa­l institutio­ns of the country. A law (CAA) which has been enacted in the interest of country is opposed in these institutio­ns. YOGI ADITYANATH, Uttar Pradesh chief minister

In Varanasi, Adityanath said the expenditur­e on force deployment should be charged from those who tried to create chaos and anarchy in Varanasi recently (during the protest against CAA). Strict action must be ensured against the mastermind­s behind the chaos, he added.

Yogi reviewed law and order situation in Varanasi and lauded Varanasi district administra­tion for resolving the dispute during the protests against CAA on December 19 and December 20.

“Varanasi is ‘punya dham’. It is sensitive too. Varanasi administra­tion did a good job. Identify the mastermind­s who attempted to create chaos here and take strict action against them,” Yogi said. He said though there was no damage to government property, force had to be deployed against those who tried to create chaos.

“There has been expenditur­e on the deployment of the force. This expenditur­e should be charged from those who tried to create chaos.”

An eight-year-old boy had died in a stampede that occurred after lathicharg­e on anti-CAA protesters in Bajardeeha area of Varanasi on December 20. Eight-yearold Mohammad Sagir was playing in a narrow lane when the stampede took place.

He suffered critical injuries and was admitted to trauma centre in BHU, where he was kept in the intensive care unit and died later.

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Chief minister Yogi Adityanath distribute­s warm clothes to people in Varanasi on Saturday.
ANI ■ Chief minister Yogi Adityanath distribute­s warm clothes to people in Varanasi on Saturday.

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