As Hindutva hardliner and known anti-Muslim Yogi Adityanath is set to assume the reins of UP, Congress leader Veerappa Moily called it the “biggest assault” on secularism, but the party’s official reaction was tempered with caution as it said it will act as “watchdog of people’s interest”.
The BJP, however, stood behind the Yogi, notwithstanding his strident pro-Hindutva credentials, insisting “he stands for development”.
“It is a big assault on secularism in the country. Maybe, the BJP or RSS would like to endorse their cause of Hinduism. India is not Hinduism. Hinduism is not India.
“India is built above castes and religions and ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (the world is one family) is the very foundation of our secular society. It is the biggest assault ever done on secularism,” Moily was quoted by PTI.
Notwithstanding the Hindutva rabble rouser image of the 44-year-old 5-time MP from Gorakhpur, BJP spokesman Siddharth Nath Singh said, “That image may be with media but he has been elected again and again. He stands for development and that is the agenda we have got and we will will stick to the agenda.”
Adityanath, has many criminal cases against him. The new Uttar Pradesh chief minister has, in the past, been charged with rioting, armed with deadly weapon, endangering life or personal safety of others, unlawful assembly, trespassing on burial places, criminal intimidation and more crucially, attempt to murder.
While the mainstream media has been silent in highlighting Adityanath’s past, many social media users including some known BJP sympathisers have expressed their disgust on his choice as the chief minister of a state, which has nearly 20 percent Muslim population.
Some users also sought to remind people about what the MP from Gorakhpur had said in the past. In one statement, he had talked about placing Ganesha idols in every mosque.
The dominating theme of social media conversation was that the choice of Adityanath had unmasked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s so-called of development. An overwhelming majority of users concluded that the BJP had won the historic landslide on a communal agenda and by opting for Adityanath, the party had secured its election victory for 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Here are some reactions!
UP would rather be happy with Yogi. At least they know what they are getting. No duplicity whatsoever. They asked for it. They got it.
— Yashwant Deshmukh ?? (@YRDeshmukh) March 19, 2017
Disturbing to see some thumping chests #YogiAdityanath appointment is a sort of victory of Hindu pride. Not my style of Hinduism or India.
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) March 19, 2017
We are bigoted people. Deep down. We love it.
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) March 19, 2017
Given a chance, will put Ganesh idols in all mosques: Yogi Adityanath https://t.co/bjKe7IiWBu (2015)
— Shivam Vij (@DilliDurAst) March 19, 2017
Adityanath pick is a masterstroke! In one stroke PM has unified a dispirited opposition,shocked moderate BJP voters & alienated Muslim world
— Krishan Partap Singh (@RaisinaSeries) March 19, 2017
"वो एक हिंदू को मारेंगे तो हम 100 मुस्लिम मारेंगे !" आप सभी को #NewIndia का नया विकास पुत्र मुबारक हो। https://t.co/ZKBtNKkOOy
— Vinod Kapri (@vinodkapri) March 18, 2017
Just some of pending charges against new UP CM: attempt to murder, rioting, promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion. #yogi
— Sreenivasan Jain (@SreenivasanJain) March 18, 2017
Mark my word, fire brand hindutva + little development will defeat all opposition in coming days. It's becoming new normal now. https://t.co/1GuLIHPJTh
— Sanjay Kumar (@sanjay_bittu) March 18, 2017
Only fools will say agenda of development wins you elections. Save this tweet, Hindutva politics will rule India for decades to come https://t.co/oX6AJ2Xu9l
— Rifat Jawaid (@RifatJawaid) March 18, 2017
In the end, development is the winner
— Nidhi Razdan (@Nidhi) March 18, 2017
https://twitter.com/BeVoterNotFan/status/843069710941925376
https://twitter.com/JemHassan1/status/843302713387638784
2 yrs from now, Modi ji will be lecturing Adityanath on Rajdharma in a press conference in Muzaffarnagar. #dejavu
— Rofl Gandhi 2.0 (@RoflGandhi_) March 18, 2017