Namaz should not be offered on roads, conduct shifts if needed: Yogi
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Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said namaz should not be offered on public roads, asserting that roads are meant for traffic movement and public convenience, not for activities that obstruct civic spaces.
Addressing an event, the Chief Minister said religious gatherings involving large crowds should be conducted at designated places in an organised manner and, if necessary, in shifts to prevent overcrowding and disruption.
Referring to the issue, Yogi Adityanath said he is often asked whether people in Uttar Pradesh still offer namaz on roads. He claimed such practices no longer take place in the state and invited people to verify the situation themselves.
“I am often asked whether people in Uttar Pradesh really do not offer namaz on the roads. I clearly say that this does not happen at all. You can go and see for yourself. Roads are for traffic movement,” he said.
The Chief Minister stated that no individual has the right to block roads or intersections for activities that hinder the movement of people and vehicles. “Can anyone come and set up a drama at an intersection? What right does he have to stop traffic? They should go and offer it at the designated places,” he remarked.
He further said that if the number of attendees at religious gatherings exceeds the available space, the events should be organised in batches or shifts rather than spilling onto public roads and open areas.
Recalling earlier discussions on accommodating large gatherings for prayers, he said the administration had suggested conducting them in multiple shifts to maintain order and discipline.
“Some people told me, ‘How will this happen, our numbers are very large?’ We responded that we would offer it in shifts. If there is no space at home, then control the numbers. Unnecessary crowding should not be increased,” he said.
The Chief Minister also underlined that the rule of law applies equally to all citizens and maintained that public spaces should not be used in a manner that causes inconvenience or disrupts civic order.
“We will not stop namaz, but it should not happen on roads,” he stated.
Sharing a video of his remarks on X, Yogi Adityanath wrote, “We’ll get you to agree with love; if you don’t agree, we’ll adopt another method.”
The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister had made similar remarks earlier as well, particularly during the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election campaign, where he criticised the ruling All India Trinamool Congress government over issues related to law and order and religious gatherings in public spaces.
With IANS inputs