Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
AFP, citing a Palestinian source: This would force hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians into a small area near the city of Rafah, on the border with Egypt
AFP, citing a Palestinian source: 'Israel' was proposing to maintain military forces in more than 40 percent of the Palestinian territory
AFP, citing a Palestinian source: The map actually depicts redeployment and repositioning of the Israeli army rather than a genuine withdrawal
AFP, citing a Palestinian source: The negotiations in Doha are facing a setback and complex difficulties due to 'Israel's' insistence on presenting a map of withdrawal
Israeli media, citing former Aman official, reserve Colonel Jacques Neriah: Syria's transformation into a buffer zone as far as Iran is concerned changes the entire regional equation
Israeli media, citing a former security official: "Our borders" are now opposite Iraq after Syria became a buffer zone between us and Iran
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: The Israeli occupation launched more than 40 raids, in the form of fire belts, targeting Beit Hanoun; the most violent and intense since the beginning of the war
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli aircraft launched the largest waves of raids since the beginning of the war on the city of Beit Hanoun, north of the Gaza Strip
Barrack: The United States is committed to supporting that relationship between two equal and sovereign neighbors enjoying peace and prosperity
Barrack: I can assure that Syria’s leaders only want co-existence and mutual prosperity with Lebanon

Anti-Muslim politician with criminal record could be India's next PM

  • By Al Mayadeen Net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 8 Feb 2022 10:30
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

Ahead of India's state polls, Hindu supremacist politician Yogi Adityanath seeks to be re-elected as chief minister of the country's most populous state, backed by his anti-Muslim rhetoric.

  • x
  • Yogi Adityanath
    Yogi Adityanath with India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi

A monk known for his controversial anti-Muslim rhetoric leads the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) into Thursday elections in India's most populous state -- Uttar Pradesh -- where a strong win could put him in pole position to succeed Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Yogi Adityanath, 49, has stirred controversy since his surprise appointment in 2017 as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, a state in northern India home to over 200 million people.

The Indian office has done nothing to temper his views, and as he seeks a second term, he is calling on Hindu voters to back the BJP while going vicious over Muslims who make up one-fifth of the state's population.

Read more: Indian Muslim students wearing Hijab banned from college classrooms

"Muslim-bashing"

A hardline protege of Modi, Adityanath has soared in popularity beyond Uttar Pradesh, for his fiery speeches against Muslims.

Journalist and political commentator Sunita Aron indicated that Adityanath "is brazenly open about his Hindu politics and ideology... He has projected himself as a Hindu leader and that's what brings him crowds and votes."

"When he does Muslim-bashing, he grabs eyeballs and audiences," she told AFP.

Last month, Adityanath tweeted, "They are worshippers of Jinnah," referring to Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of India's arch-rival neighbor Pakistan.

Related News

Muslims in Europe experience ‘worrying surge’ in racism: Survey

Looking for Christ in a televised genocide and a call to the Holy See

"Pakistan is dear to them, we sacrifice our life for Maa Bharati (Mother India)."

Read more: Protests over classroom Hijab Ban erupts In India

History of anti-Muslim acts

While studying mathematics at university, Adityanath became an activist in the student wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a right-wing Hindu organization.

After graduating, he became a priest of Gorakhnath Temple, known for its strong Hindu supremacist tradition, and at the same time went into politics, elected to Parliament for the first time in 1998 aged just 26.

Along the way, he founded a "vigilante" youth army named Hindu Yuva Vahini.

Volunteers of the group regularly rough up Muslims accused of slaughtering cows or "love jihad" -- a term used by nationalist extremists to accuse Muslim men of seducing Hindu women in order to force them to convert, while in fact, it constitutes a plan whereby Hindu extremists are determined to push an Islamophobic conspiracy theory across India – regardless of how many couples get hurt or killed in the process.

As extremism against Muslims rages on in #India, the government is dismissing repetitive threats to cleanse India's minorities.
More dangerously, experts warn of signs of a potential genocide that could happen soon against #Muslims who constitute 15% of India's population. pic.twitter.com/zoqmybWmoh

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 19, 2022

Criminal records

Adityanath himself has several criminal cases pending against him in various courts.

In 2007, he spent 11 days in jail for trying to foment communal tension. In one speech he vowed, "If they (Muslims) kill one Hindu man, then we will kill 100 Muslim men."

But his notoriety did nothing to impede his twin-track progress: in 2014, he was appointed head priest of his temple.

After taking the reins as Chief Minister three years later, Adityanath announced curbs on slaughterhouses and on the use of loudspeakers for the Muslim call to prayer, fuelling an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

Indian media reports say more than 100 alleged criminals -- most of them Muslims or low-caste Dalits -- have been extra-judicially killed by Uttar Pradesh police under his administration, a charge Adityanath denies.

His political style aligns firmly with his party, which has been accused of fuelling religious intolerance for electoral gain, calling into question India's long-cherished secular and democratic credentials.

  • Islam
  • India
  • Right-Wing
  • hindu
  • Pakistan
  • Muslims
  • Narendra Modi
  • Muslim

Most Read

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

Hezbollah SG reveals war details on Al Mayadeen for the first time

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Major ambush in Gaza kills 6 Israeli troops, injures dozens

Major ambush in Gaza kills 5 Israeli troops, injures 14

  • Politics
  • 8 Jul 2025
Israeli soldiers are seen in Beit Hanoun ahead of an operation by the al-Qassam Brigades, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)

'Israel' on blast as media exposes report discrepancies in Gaza ambush

  • Palestine
  • 8 Jul 2025
Yemeni air defenses repel substantial part of Israeli aggression

Yemeni air defenses confront Israeli aggression on Hodeidah

  • Politics
  • 7 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Trump announces Mexico, EU rariffs of 30%
US & Canada

Trump slaps trade partners, Mexico, EU, with 30% tariffs from Aug. 1

Deal struck to create new state of New Caledonia
Europe

France announces State of New Caledonia, except with a twist

Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, center, inspects a live-fire shooting training in Hsinchu County, Taiwan, Thursday, July 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US demands allies' plans in event of Taiwan war erupting

Israeli settlers kill American-Palestinian visiting West Bank
Palestine

Israeli settlers kill American-Palestinian visiting West Bank

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS