Yogi Adityanath Flags "Political Islam", Adds A Halal Certification Warning

Stressing that "political Islam" is a major threat that aims to change India's "demography", Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said our ancestors fought against this threat, but it is hardly discussed now. He said that while British and French colonialism are often discussed in history, there is little mention of "political Islam".

Addressing an event in Gorakhpur to mark the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's centenary celebrations, Adityanath said Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Guru Gobind Singh, Maharana Pratap and Maharana Sanga waged battles against "political Islam". "Our ancestors waged major struggles against political Islam, yet this aspect of history remains largely overlooked," he said.

He said "political Islam" is still working to divide India and referred to the Chhangur Baba case in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district. A self-styled godman, Chhangur Baba alias Jalaluddin Shah, allegedly ran an illegal religious conversion racket before his arrest in July.

Adityanath said "political Islam" is working through elements such as Chhangur Baba to break up the country. "RSS is trying to unite the society to safeguard against such threats, and its attempts deserve praise," he said.

Targets Halal Certification

Adityanath said Chhangur Baba was offering money to those undergoing religious conversion, depending on their caste. "And where is the money coming from? You will not even know the source of the money. It is not coming from any other country. It is coming from you," he said.

"When you buy something, make sure to check if it has the Halal certification. We have banned it in Uttar Pradesh. You will be surprised, soap, clothes, and matchsticks are also certified as halal," the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said.

Adityanath said a massive sum of Rs 25,000 crore was raised in the country in the name of Halal certification without the permission of the Centre or any state government.

"All this money is misused for terrorism, love jihad, and religious conversion. That is why Uttar Pradesh has started a big campaign against it," he said, appealing to people to check products before buying. Chhangur alias Jalaluddin, he said, was a "sample". "Such Jalaluddins must be hiding around you. Keep an eye on them."

A Halal-certified product means an item or a service that complies with Islamic law and is permissible for Muslims to use. In India, halal certification is done by third-party organisations and is not mandatory.

Yogi Slams Akhilesh Yadav

The firebrand BJP leader slammed Akhilesh Yadav, chief of Uttar Pradesh's main opposition Samajwadi Party, for his social media post criticising the state government's Deepotsav to mark Diwali celebrations. "He asked what the need was to light lamps? In other words, he has hatred towards Deepavali. Till now, we used to think that he had a hatred towards the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya and other Hindu pilgrimage sites," Adityanath said.

He also said Akhilesh Yadav would not have made a "childish statement" if he understood the pain of the Prajapati community, which has a large number of potters whose wares are in high demand during the festival of lights.

"It is said that one may inherit the throne, but not the brain. For that, efforts have to be made. For some people, childishness stays with them throughout their lives," Aditayanath said, taking a swipe at Yadav, former Chief Minister and son of Samajwadi Party founder, late Mulayam Singh Yadav. Adityanath said Yadav is a "traitor to festivals of Sanatan Dharma".