‘Pyaar se maanenge thik hai, nahi maanenge toh dusra tareeka apnayenge’: Yogi Adityanath warns over namaz on roads

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has stated that namaz must be offered in a regulated way and cannot be read on public roads. He said the administration will first try persuasion, but will adopt other methods if compliance is not achieved.

Sharing a post on X, CM Yogi wrote: “Namaz padhni hai, aap shift mein padhiye… Pyaar se maanenge thik hai, nahi maanenge toh dusra tareeka apnayenge.”

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That translates to: “You have to offer namaz, you can read it during your shift… We’ll get you to agree with love, if you don’t agree, we’ll adopt another method.”

नमाज पढ़नी है, आप शिफ्ट में पढ़िए…

प्यार से मानेंगे ठीक है, नहीं मानेंगे तो दूसरा तरीका अपनाएंगे… pic.twitter.com/zDoz6YiqTZ

— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) May 18, 2026

He also shared a video from a public gathering in Lucknow where he addressed the matter directly. He said he is often asked whether namaz is being offered on roads in Uttar Pradesh.

“I say clearly that it does not happen at all, go and see for yourself,” he said.

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Roads are for movement, not gatherings, Yogi says

The Chief Minister was firm on the point that public roads exist for traffic, not religious gatherings.

“Roads are meant for movement. Can anyone come and create a spectacle at a crossroads and block traffic? What right does anyone have to disrupt public movement?” he said at the Lucknow event.

CM Yogi addressed concerns raised by those who argued that large numbers of worshippers cannot be easily managed.

“Some people told me, ‘How will it work, our numbers are large?’ We replied that it can be done in shifts,” he said.

He added that if space is limited at home, the numbers must be managed accordingly. “Unnecessary crowding should not be increased,” he said.

The Chief Minister said arrangements in shifts are a workable option and the government will not stop anyone from praying, only from doing so on roads.

Law applies to all, says CM

Adityanath stressed that the rule of law is the same for every citizen, and no one can use public spaces in ways that cause disruption.

“The rule of the government is the rule of the law. It applies equally to everyone. Namaz is necessary. You can read it during your shift. We will not stop it, but not on the road,” he said.

Bengal election context

This is not the first time Yogi Adityanath has raised the issue of namaz on roads publicly. During the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election campaign, he made similar remarks at a rally in Hooghly.

There, he accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of allowing namaz to be offered on streets. He also claimed that curfews are imposed in Bengal before Hindu festivals, an allegation aimed at painting TMC as biased.