Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak
Credit: X/@brajeshpathakup
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Thursday accused the Samajwadi Party (SP) of indulging in "appeasement politics", alleging that statements of the party leaders reflect their intent to push for Sharia law in the country and to set the state on fire through communal riots, he said.
Talking to reporters, Pathak said the SP had a long history of "playing divisive politics" and was now making statements aimed at destabilising law and order and disrupting religious harmony during the ongoing Kanwar Yatra.
"The Samajwadi Party always engages in the politics of appeasement. We are fully committed to maintaining strict law and order in Uttar Pradesh under any circumstance," Pathak said.
The state government's priority is to ensure that religious events such as the Kanwar Yatra proceed peacefully and without any inconvenience to the devotees, he added.
"Our effort is to make sure that pilgrims get pure food and their preferred meals. Who is selling the food or where it is sourced from is not a matter of concern. What matters is hygiene and quality," he said.
Slamming recent statements by SP leaders on the Kanwar Yatra, Pathak alleged they were trying to sow communal discord.
"We have seen and heard SP leaders making remarks that reflect their intent to push for Sharia law in the country, to set the state on fire through communal riots and to create fear among people," he said.
The Deputy CM questioned the SP's opposition to vendors disclosing their identities while selling food during religious events.
"If you are selling something, what is the problem with mentioning your name? Raising objections to this only shows the appeasement mindset of the Samajwadi Party," Pathak said.
Terming the SP's approach "unfortunate and unacceptable", Pathak said the government would not tolerate any attempt to disturb peace in the state. "Everyone knows that the SP has always tried to create divisions on religious lines. But we will uphold law and order, and respect all faiths and religious traditions, ensuring that peace prevails in the state," he added.
Former SP MP S T Hasan had on Wednesday condemned the alleged religious profiling of eatery owners along the Kanwar Yatra route in Uttarakhand by some Hindu outfits, calling the act a "form of terrorism".
The remarks came amid reports that members of certain Hindu organisations were allegedly checking the identities of eatery owners and staff, and targeting individuals suspected to be Muslims in several UP and Uttarakhand cities.
Purported videos circulating on social media allegedly showed volunteers coercing people to prove their religious identity.
Hasan, who hails from Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad, told PTI, "Asking hotel staff and local vendors to reveal their names and forcing them to undress to identify their religion is no different from what terrorists did in Pahalgam. This, too, is a form of terrorism."
The Uttarakhand government has made it mandatory for eateries, including food carts, on the Kanwar Yatra route to prominently display their food licences or registration certificates.
The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage during the Hindu month of Shravan, drawing thousands of devotees.