‘Pyaar Se Maanenge Thik Hai’: CM Yogi Says Namaz Must Be Offered In Shifts, Otherwise ‘We’ll Adopt Another Method’

Yogi Adityanath has said that namaz should be offered in a regulated manner and not on public roads, adding that people can pray in shifts if required. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said the administration would first try to ensure compliance through persuasion, but other methods could also be adopted if needed to maintain public order norms. In a post shared on X, CM Yogi said, “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.”

Chief Minister says roads are meant for movement and public inconvenience cannot be allowed

CM Yogi also shared a video from a public gathering in Lucknow where he addressed the issue directly. Speaking at the event, he said people often ask him whether namaz is still offered on roads in Uttar Pradesh. “I am often asked whether, in Uttar Pradesh, people really do not offer namaz on the roads. I say clearly that it does not happen at all, go and see for yourself. 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.

The Chief Minister further stated that if there are concerns about accommodating large numbers of people, arrangements can be made in shifts instead of gathering in a way that creates crowding or inconvenience for the public.

Yogi says law applies equally to everyone and public spaces cannot be misused

“Some people told me, ‘How will it work, our numbers are large?’ We replied that it can be done in shifts. If there is no space at home, then manage the numbers accordingly. Unnecessary crowding should not be increased,” the Chief Minister said.

He also stressed that the rule of law applies equally to every citizen and that public infrastructure cannot be used in ways that disrupt normal movement and traffic. “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.

Earlier remarks during Bengal election campaign had also focused on street prayers and public spaces

The remarks come months after CM Yogi raised similar issues during the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election campaign. Addressing a rally in Hooghly, he had accused Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamool Congress of allowing “namaz on streets” in the state. He had also claimed during the rally that “before Hindu festivals, curfews are imposed.”

CM Yogi has repeatedly maintained in previous speeches that public roads and common infrastructure should not be used in a manner that disrupts daily movement, traffic flow or public convenience.

(With inputs from ANI)

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