‘It’s okay if you obey with love, otherwise we will try another method’, Yogi Adityanath warns Muslims offering Namaz on the road

PC: NDTV

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that people should offer Namaz in a regulated manner and if necessary, it can be done in shifts. He also said that the administration will try to persuade people to follow the rules, and if that does not work, other methods will be adopted to ensure that public order is followed.

In a post shared on Twitter, CM Yogi said, “You have to offer Namaz, you can offer it in your shift… We will accept you with love, if you do not agree, we will adopt another method.”

CM Yogi also shared a video of a public meeting in Lucknow in which he talked about this issue and said that he is often asked whether Namaz is offered on the streets in Uttar Pradesh. “I am often asked whether people in Uttar Pradesh really do not offer Namaz on the roads. I clearly say that this is not the case at all – you go and see for yourself. Roads are for commuting. Can anyone come and create a scene at the intersection and stop the traffic? What right does anyone have to obstruct public movement?” He further said that if needed, arrangements can be made in shifts, but the public cannot be allowed to face problems.

“Some people said to me, ‘How is this going to work, we are outnumbered?’ We replied that it could be done in shifts. If there is no space at home, then manage the numbers accordingly. The crowd should not increase unnecessarily,” the Chief Minister said. CM Yogi further said that the rule of law applies equally to all citizens and public places cannot be misused. He said, “The rule of the government is the rule of law. It applies equally to everyone. Namaz is necessary — you can offer it during your shift. We will not stop it, but not on the road.”

Meanwhile, CM Yogi has already made similar attacks during the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election campaign. At a rally in Hooghly, he had accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of allowing “namaz on the streets” and claimed that “before Hindu festivals, curfew is imposed.” CM Yogi has also said earlier that public roads and infrastructure should not be used in such a way that there is obstruction in traffic or daily movement.