Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that he instructed police to use lathi charge to disperse the protestors who had blocked the road after an electrocution incident that killed three and injured others during a Muharram tazia procession in Jaunpur.
Speaking at the inauguration programme of a national seminar based on Bhagwan Birsa Munda in UP's Varanasi, Yogi Adityanath said, "Recently, a large tazia was forcibly taken out. It came into contact with a high-tension wire, and three people died. Later, when they blocked the road, the police asked what to do. I said, 'Drive them away with lathis. Laton ke bhoot baton se nahin mante' (Those who are stubborn don't listen to words)."
CM Yogi recalled an incident from three years ago, saying, "Once during an arson incident, I immediately ordered stopping the action and extracting video footage. In the footage, a person comes wearing a saffron towel and sets fire, but 'Ya Allah' comes out of his mouth. It is extremely necessary to identify such hidden enemies of society in time."
The CM discussed the government's rules regarding the chaos during Muharram and the height of processions. He said, "Muharram comes just before Sawan. We decided that the height of tazias should be limited, so that trees don't have to be cut and wires don't have to be removed. It takes 40-50 years for a tree to grow. Earlier, Muharram processions used to cause arson. Daughters couldn't come out. When I warned not to carry tall tazias, there was no opposition on social media."
On the second day of his Varanasi visit, the Chief Minister reached Basanta College, where he planted saplings and participated in a programme organised in memory of Birsa Munda.
After this, the CM inspected the Sowa Rigpa Medical College built in the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies campus at Sarnath and also distributed relief materials to flood victims in Salarpur. He also inspected the Sangeet Pathway.
