"Those Who Speak Truth...": Yogi Adityanath On High Court Judge's Remarks

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday hit out at the Opposition for initiating impeachment notices against Rajya Sabha chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar and Allahabad High Court's Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, saying "whoever speaks the truth" is threatened in this way.

Speaking at the World Hindu Economic Forum 2024, he also accused the Congress of practicing double standards.

"Whoever speaks the truth, these people will pressurise him with impeachment (motions), and still they talk about the Constitution. Look at their double standards.

"An Allahabad High Court judge said there should be a Uniform Civil Code, and the world over the feelings of the majority community are respected," the UP chief minister said.

What was a person's crime if he voices these opinions, he asked.

"Shouldn't there be a Uniform Civil Code in the country? The world over, the system runs as per what the majority community says and India is saying the discrimination between majority and minority community should end. They (the Congress) will pressurize, because it is their old habit of strangulating the Constitution and managing the system of the country," Adityanath alleged.

As to the notice to impeach Dhankhar for his alleged partisan role as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the BJP leader said the Vice President is doing his duty as presiding officer of the Upper House.

"The Opposition is worried as to how a farmer's son has reached this position. If someone as a judge as well as a citizen of the country puts forth truth on a social and cultural platform, he is threatened with impeachment," Adityanath added.

Members of several opposition parties on Friday moved a notice in the Rajya Sabha for the impeachment of Allahabad High Court Judge Shekhar Kumar Yadav over his alleged controversial remarks at a Vishwa Hindu Parishad event on December 8.

The Supreme Court has sought details pertaining to the controversy from the Allahabad High Court.

Adityanath, meanwhile, said the society and country need to expose those who want to suppress the truth. Those who spurn India's legacy should be exposed, he said, alleging that the Opposition says that Lord Ram never existed.

The Sanatan religion never claimed it is great, or it never said its supremacy must be accepted, Adityanath said, adding that it neither controlled anyone with a sword nor did it stake a claim on anyone's land.

"You have PM Modi showering flowers on workers who built the Ram Temple in Ayodhya for their hard work, and there will also be rulers who chopped the hands of workers who built the Taj Mahal," he said.

India cannot establish itself as a strong economy by forgetting its legacy, the UP chief minister said.

India's economy stood at 10th or 11th position after 70 years, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it the fifth largest economy in 10 years, and in 2027 India will be the third largest economy, the BJP leader said.

Uttar Pradesh is now the country's second largest economy and is on its way to grow to USD 1 trillion, Adityanath said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)