LUCKNOW: A week ahead of Bakrid, UP CM Yogi Adityanath reiterated his stern warning against those offering namaz on roads.
Speaking at an event, CM Yogi said, “Namaz will not be allowed on roads. If people agree peacefully, it's fine; otherwise, stricter measures will be taken."
He added that people can offer namaz only at the designated places. “Roads are for common people to walk on. No one has the right to disturb traffic," he said.
CM Yogi also referred to the violence in Bareilly during a protest over the ‘I Love Mohammad’ controversy in September 2025.
Then, Muslim leader and founder of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, Maulana Tauqeer Raza, had announced a sit-in protest after offering Namaz. When police tried to stop the gathering, stone-pelting broke out, following which police resorted to a lathi-charge. Finally, the Maulana, who had threatened violence on the streets of Bareilly, was arrested and is now languishing in jail.
The illegal properties belonging to the Maulana and his relatives were later demolished.
Yogi had also raised the issue of offering Namaz on roads during the recent West Bengal Assembly election campaign.
Targeting former Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee over alleged appeasement politics, he had said, “Didi allows namaz on roads and restricts Hindu festivals. In UP, roads are meant for traffic, not namaz. There is no curfew, no riots, and everything is peaceful.”
The Yogi government had completely banned namaz on roads in 2022-2023.
Orders were issued that namaz would not be offered on roads during Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha or any other day. Religious events should only be held inside Eidgah, mosques or designated religious places.
Elucidating the journey of UP’s development, Yogi said the State, which was once known for guns and bombs, was now manufacturing BrahMos missiles.
“If the atmosphere is negative, ‘One District-One Mafia’ emerges. If it is positive, ‘One District-One Product’ emerges,” he said, adding that investment and employment were rapidly increasing in the State.
He claimed UP was on track to become a 1 trillion-dollar economy.
On women’s safety, the CM said women in UP earlier feared stepping out even during the day, but were now working on night shifts and returning home safely.
Yogi added that UP was no longer a ‘BIMARU State’ and had been revenue surplus for the past six years.
He further said the State no longer needed to depend on anyone and had immense potential in agriculture, infrastructure and youth power.
According to him, the government was focusing on balanced development across all 75 districts.