Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Credit: PTI Photo
Lucknow: In his first reaction to Supreme Court judgement regarding the minority status of the Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that the AMU didn't belong only to the Muslims as he once again referred to his much publicised "batenge to katenge" (Hindus will be slaughtered if they are divided) remark.
The SC while overturning the Azeez Basha judgement, had said that a regular bench would decide if the minority status of AMU would remain.
''AMU doesn't belong to the Muslims only. How can it be possible that is preparing to give 50 per cent reservation to the minorities despite getting funds from the central government," Adityanath said while addressing an election meeting at Khair in Aligarh.
''SC, ST and OBC should also get reservation there," he added.
He accused the Samajwadi Party (SP), BSP and Congress of being behind denial of reservation to the SC, ST and OBC in the AMU as "these parties pursued 'vote bank' politics".
''These people (Opposition) are playing with your sentiments. Don't be blinded. Remember, if we are divided, then we will be slaughtered,'' Adityanath said.
''History tells us that we were slaughtered whenever we got divided,'' he added.
Adityanath also referred to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Idgah Mosque and Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi Mosque disputes in his address. ''We suffered humiliation on these issues only because we are divided,'' he added.
The Chief Minister also said that the law and order situation in the state had improved considerably after the BJP came to power.
Khair is one of the nine assembly constituencies in the state where bypolls would take place on November 20.
BJP had won the seat in the 2022 assembly elections but the winning BJP candidate Anoop Valmiki won the Lok Sabha poll from Hathras seat and resigned from there necessitating the bypoll.