Not forcing anyone to say 'Jai Shree Ram', says Yogi Adityanath

His remarks come days after slogans of “Jai Shree Ram” raised by a section of the audience during a rally in West Bengal

No one is being forced to raise 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans and there is nothing to feel bad about such chants, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday after his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee refused to speak at an event over raising of such slogans.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday refused to speak at a programme held to celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose following slogans of “Jai Shree Ram” raised by a section of the audience. An angry Mamata said that one should not insult someone after inviting that person and left the podium in a huff. The events unfolded in the presence of the Prime Minister.

Also read — Netaji event: CM Mamata refuses to speak after 'Jai Shree Ram' chants; says 'don't insult after calling me here'

The Chief Minister had said that the government program should have “some dignity” adding that it was not a programme held by a political party.

“I think a government program should have some dignity. It’s a government programme and not a programme of some political party. I am grateful to the Prime Minister and the Union Cultural Ministry for holding this programme in Kolkata,” said Mamata.

Speaking to a select group of journalists, Adityanath said, "If someone says Jai Shri Ram there is nothing to feel bad about it as it is a greeting"'.

"If someone says 'namaskar' or 'Jai Shri Ram' it shows his etiquette," he said.

Responding to questions on Banerjee refusing to speak after such chants, Adityanath said, "We are not forcing anyone to speak it. But if someone says Jai Shree Ram there is nothing to feel bad about it."

A visibly agitated Banerjee, who was called to deliver her speech at the Netaji birth anniversary ceremony at Victoria Memorial on Saturday, had fumed over the "insult" and said, it was a government programme and not a political event. The BJP claimed that Banerjee's reaction reflected her mindset of appeasement politics The VHP leadership also came down heavily on Banerjee, saying it reflects her "anti-Hindu" mindset and efforts to appease a particular community. BJP leader and grandnephew of Netaji, Chandra Kumar Bose, had said there was nothing wrong with the slogan and Netaji's birth anniversary should not be mixed with politics. The Congress and the Left Front had backed Banerjee and slammed the BJP for the incident. With elections due in the state in March-April, the tussle between the BJP and Banerjee’s TMC has intensified.

Talking about law and order in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath, 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.

With PTI inputs