‘Pyar Se Manenge Theek, Nahi To…’: Yogi’s Tough Warning On Namaz On Roads

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday issued a strong warning against offering namaz on public roads, asserting that his government would not allow any obstruction to public movement and that “rule of law” would prevail in the state.

In a video speech shared on his official X handle, Yogi Adityanath said namaz can be offered in shifts if there is a shortage of space, but made it clear that prayers on roads would not be tolerated.

“Namaz zaroor padhiye... shift mein padhiye... hum usko nahi rokenge. Lekin sadak par nahi (Offer namaz, do it in shifts, we won’t stop anyone. But not on roads),” the Chief Minister said.

The remarks came as Yogi highlighted his government’s stance on public order and encroachment of roads during religious gatherings.

‘Roads Are For Public, Not For Blocking’

In the speech, the UP Chief Minister said roads are meant for common citizens, patients, workers, traders and daily commuters, and no one has the right to block them.

“Sadak chalne ke liye hai… kisi ko kya adhikar hai ki woh sadak rok de? (Roads are meant for walking. Who has the right to block them?)” he said.

He added that if there was inadequate space for offering prayers, people should organise prayers in multiple shifts instead of occupying public roads.

“Unhone kaha population zyada hai… maine kaha shift mein kar lo (They said their population is more, I replied that pray in shifts then),” Yogi said.

The Chief Minister also linked the issue to population growth, saying if there is insufficient space, “population should be controlled”.

‘If They Don’t Listen, We Will Adopt Another Method’

In one of the sharpest remarks in the speech, Yogi Adityanath warned that while the government preferred dialogue and voluntary compliance, stricter measures could follow if instructions were ignored.

“Pyar se maanenge theek hai, nahi maanenge to doosra tarika apnayenge (It will be better if they agree when told politely. If not, we will adopt different methods),” he said.

“Our job is to establish dialogue. If people listen through dialogue, that is fine. Otherwise, they can see it through struggle,” he added.

‘Rule Of Law Applies Equally To Everyone’

Emphasising that the government’s stand was not targeted at any one community, Yogi repeatedly stressed that the “rule of law” would apply equally to all citizens.

“Kanoon ka raj sab par samaan roop se lagu hoga (The rule of law will be implemented on everyone equally),” he said.

The Chief Minister also claimed that roads in Uttar Pradesh are no longer blocked for namaz and invited people to verify the situation themselves.

“People ask me if namaz still happens on roads in Uttar Pradesh. I tell them, absolutely not. You can come and see,” he said.

Reference To Bareilly

During the speech, Yogi also referred to Bareilly, suggesting that strict enforcement had demonstrated the “power” of the administration.

“The people of Bareilly saw the power,” he said, without elaborating further.

The video was later shared by the Chief Minister on his official X account, where he reiterated the message on enforcement of law and public discipline.

The statement comes amid the BJP government’s continued emphasis on maintaining public order and regulating religious activities in public spaces, a theme that has repeatedly featured in Yogi Adityanath’s political messaging.

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