Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday said that while British and French colonialism are widely discussed in history, the impact of “political Islam” — which he claimed dealt the “greatest blow” to Sanatan Dharma — has been largely ignored.
Speaking at the ‘Vichar-Parivar Kutumb Sneh Milan’ and ‘Deepotsav Se Rashtrotsav’ events in Gorakhpur, organised to mark the RSS centenary year, Adityanath said that great warriors such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Guru Gobind Singh, Maharana Pratap, and Maharana Sanga had fought against “political Islam”.
“Our ancestors fought major battles against political Islam, but this chapter of history remains neglected,” the chief minister said, adding that the nation must acknowledge this ideological struggle alongside colonial resistance.
He praised the RSS for its “historic role” in making the Ram temple in Ayodhya a reality, saying, “While others doubted or opposed the temple, RSS volunteers stood firm in their belief. Despite restrictions, lathi charges, and bullets, they never wavered. Today, the grand Ram Temple stands as proof of their perseverance.”
Highlighting what he called the ongoing “threat” of political Islam, Adityanath alleged that activities promoting the ideology still exist under various disguises. He also said the state government has banned the sale of Halal-certified products, claiming that funds from such sales were being diverted toward “conversion, love jihad, and terrorism”.
Outlining the RSS centenary vision, he identified five key areas of transformation — social harmony, family values, environmental conservation, self-reliance through indigenous products, and civic responsibility — describing them as the pillars of a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India).
“For a nation to truly progress, society must take the lead and the government must follow,” Adityanath concluded.
