Yogi Adityanath bats for Hindu regime

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday invoked the migration of the Hindus and Sikhs from the Kashmir valley as he batted for a Hindu regime, under which these communities could remain safe.

"Hindus and Sikhs were completely safe in Kashmir as long as a Hindu king ruled the state... these communities suffered only after the downfall of the Hindu kingdom," Adityanath said while speaking at a function organised by the Sikh community here.

"Can Hindus and Sikhs feel safe in Kashmir today?.... the situation in the valley is known to all of us," the chief minister said.

He said that it was unfortunate that "we could not prevent occupation of a part of Kashmir."

Adityanath said that only those nations progressed, which "learned" lessons from their history. "We must learn from our history," he added.

The saffron-clad chief minister also referred to the situation in Afghanistan and said that a large number of Sikhs used to live in its capital Kabul and elsewhere. "There are hardly any Sikhs in Afghanistan today," he said.

Invoking the teachings of Sikh saint Guru Govind Singh, Adityanath said that only the BJP could ensure safety and security of the Sikhs. "There is not much difference between Hinduism and Sikhism... we find reference to Lord Rama in Gurubani," he added.

Referring to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the country, the chief minister said that a special investigating team (SIT) would be formed to investigate the violence and ensure punishment to the guilty.