Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said no one is forced to raise Jai Shri Ram slogans and that there is nothing to feel bad about such chants. He was referring to the Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee who refused to speak in an event, after slogans of Jai Shri Ram were raised while she was delivering a speech in Victoria Memorial, Kolkata.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday refused to speak at a programme held to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. A section of audience raised Jai Shri Ram slogans when Banerjee was delivering a speech, which pissed her off. Cutting short her speech, Banerjee said don’t insult her after calling her in the event. This is not a political programme. She targeted the Modi government saying don’t insult someone after inviting them to a government programme. However, she thanked Prime Minister and the Union Cultural Ministry for holding the programme in Kolkata.
Speaking to a group of Journalists, the UP chief minister said if someone says Jai Shri Ram or Namaskar, there is nothing to feel bad about it as it is a greeting and it shows their etiquette.
Responding to questions on Banerjee’s refusal to speak after such chants, Adityanath said the government is not forcing anyone to raise Jai Shri Ram slogans. But if someone says Jai Shri Ram there is nothing to feel bad about it.
Talking about law and order situation in the state, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said the state witnessed several riots during earlier regimes while under this government the state has not witnessed any such incident. He claimed the law and order situation in the state is one of the best in the country.