Lucknow, Sep 27: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday issued a stern warning to those involved in Friday’s violence in Bareilly, asserting that future generations would think twice before attempting to disturb law and order.
Speaking at the Viksit Uttar Pradesh Vision 2047 programme in Lucknow, CM Yogi said a cleric in Bareilly had threatened to block the city after Friday prayers but “forgot who is in power in the state.” He stressed that his government would not tolerate curfews, blockades, or attempts to disrupt peace.
“We made it clear there would be neither blockades nor curfews. Instead, we will teach them such a lesson that their harmful tendencies will be corrected,” he said.
The CM criticized previous administrations, alleging that they had allowed criminals and rioters to flourish. “Earlier, rioters were invited to the Chief Minister’s residence and honoured. Mafia people were given free rein to control districts, and governments even saluted professional criminals,” he remarked.
He added that prior governments had created a system of “One District, One Mafia,” which led to extortion, corruption, and exploitation of ordinary citizens. “Agriculture was destroyed, youths’ jobs were sold off, and extortion gangs flourished,” Yogi said, adding that his government had acted decisively to curb these practices.
CM Yogi also claimed that festivals often turned violent before 2017, but his administration had put a stop to such disturbances. “Sometimes bad habits don’t leave easily, so they must be corrected sternly. Yesterday in Bareilly, you saw a corrective action. The cleric thought he could threaten us and force his way, but we showed him the authority of the state,” he said.
He highlighted the use of bulldozers against those attempting to divide society in the name of caste and religion. “When dishonest and corrupt people come to power, they misuse authority and exploit society. We built the bulldozer precisely for such people,” he added.
Friday’s unrest erupted when a procession carrying “I Love Muhammad” posters and placards did not follow police orders to disperse. A large crowd marched toward Islamia Ground and Khalil School Chowk, chanting slogans and defying police directives. Authorities used force to control the situation.
Despite the violence on Friday, the city remained peaceful on Saturday, and no untoward incidents were reported.