Opposition behaviour on CAA irresponsible, effort to tarnish country's image: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday accused the opposition of irresponsible behaviour over the amended citizenship law, calling it a “sickening effort “ to tarnish the country’s image.

During his two-hour speech in the assembly, Adityanath also provoked the opposition when he referred to an Indonesian cultural troupe’s attitude towards Ram and asked how anyone in India could distance themselves from the deity.

The chief minister repeated his warning that those damaging public property while protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act will pay the government for the losses.

"This is a most irresponsible behaviour on the part of the Opposition and it is not a good sign for democracy. It is a sickening effort to damage the image of the country," he said.

The chief minister was taking part in a discussion on the state Budget tabled on February 18.

There were interruptions by the Samajwadi Party MLAs and thumping of desks by ruling BJP members, who also shouted Jai Shri Ram.

"Why is there so much commotion over the CAA? What do they want to gain by damaging the image of the country?” he said, and warned against taking the law hostage.

“That will never happen,” he said.

The CM accused the opposition parties of creating a wrong impression of the CAA, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) and said they are causing an irreparable loss for which the coming generations will not pardon them.

Adityanath said his government was not against peaceful demonstrations over the CAA. But if protesters resort to vandalism and arson, the loss to property will be realised from them, he added.

He recalled a recent visit by an Indonesian troupe that performed the Ram Lila and said all characters were played by Muslims, who believed that Lord Ram was their ancestor.

"How can it be that people live here, eat here and maintain distance from Ram,” he said, triggering protests from the opposition.

“You should look at the history of India. The first mosque here in Kerala was constructed by a Hindu king," the chief minister said, referring to a legend.

Adityanath said he held the responsibility of 23 crore people of the state and not of any particular caste, religion or creed.

He termed the state's Budget for 2020-21 balanced and development-oriented.

"We have made schemes for all sections of society. No one can say that we have discriminated against anyone. The government has adopted the 'ekatmata manavvad' (integral humanism) of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay in the Budget," he said.

He accused the opposition of focusing on caste when the BJP government talked about development and schemes like housing for the poor.

He said shelters have now been set up for 4.5 lakh head of stray cattle and suggested that instead of burning stubble, the crop residue should be transported to these shelters with the help of MNREGA, the rural employment guarantee scheme.

Adityanath claimed that deaths due to encephalitis in the state have come down drastically under his government, while the previous dispensations never realised the pain of the poor.

"For the past 40 years, children had been dying. Almost 90 per cent of those who fell prey to the disease belonged to Dalit and minority communities," he said.