and Muslims broke out during a Muharram procession in Gorakhpur which led to the hospitalisation of a young Hindu, Raj Kumar Agrahari.
and Muslims broke out during a Muharram procession in Gorakhpur which led to the hospitalisation of a young Hindu, Raj Kumar Agrahari.
The District Magistrate had made it clear that Adityanath should not visit the site as it may inflame tensions.
He initially agreed but after Agrahari died, he disobeyed the magistrate and travelled to the site with a group of his followers.
Adityanath then started a non-violent dharna on the site.
However, inflammatory speeches were made and some of his followers even set fire to a nearby mazar (Muslim mausoleum).
Curfew was imposed by the local police, but Adityanath broke it and was subsequently jailed.
He was arrested and remanded for a fortnight, on charges of disturbing peace. His arrest led to further unrest and several coaches of the Mumbai bound Mumbai-Gorakhpur Godan Express were burnt, allegedly by protesting Hindu Yuva Vahini activists.
The tensions escalated to riots across Gorakhpur leading to the burning of mosques, homes, buses and trains.
During the intolerance debate in the media, Adityanath compared Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan to Pakistani terrorist Hafiz Saeed.
He had said, "Shah Rukh Khan should remember that majority population of the country made him the star, and if they boycott his films, he will also have to wander on streets. It is unfortunate SRK is speaking the same language that of Hafiz Saeed."
That he is not someone who minces words while expressing himself was was manifested when he came out full throttle for yoga in the midst of controversy over the issue saying that those who oppose Surya Namaskar can leave India.
He also made a request that those who see communalism in even Sun God should drown drown themselves in the sea or live in a dark room for the rest of their lives.
On January 3, 2016, one day after the terror attack on an IAF base in Pathankot, Adityanath blamed the assault on Pakistan, claiming, "The Pathankot attack has once again proved that Satan could change for the better but Pakistan cannot."(MORE)
(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
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