Lucknow, May 18 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, on Monday asserted that offering namaz on public roads should not be allowed, saying that roads are meant for smooth traffic movement and daily commuting, and not for activities that obstruct public spaces or inconvenience common citizens.

Addressing an event, Chief Minister Yogi said that religious gatherings involving large numbers of people should be conducted in an organised manner at designated places and, if required, in shifts to avoid overcrowding and disruption.

Referring to the issue, CM Yogi said he is frequently questioned about whether people in Uttar Pradesh continue to offer namaz on roads. He claimed that 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 remarked that no individual has the authority to block public roads or intersections for any activity that hampers the movement of people and vehicles. He said roads are public infrastructure meant for transportation and should remain free from obstructions.

“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 added.

CM Yogi further stated that if the number of people attending religious gatherings exceeds the available space, then such activities should be organised in multiple shifts instead of spilling onto public roads and open spaces.

He recalled that when some people raised concerns over accommodating large crowds for prayers, the administration suggested conducting them in batches or shifts to ensure 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 is applicable equally to every citizen and maintained that public places cannot be used in a manner that creates inconvenience for others or disrupts civic order.

“We will not stop namaz, but it should not happen on roads,” he stated.

Sharing the video on his X handle, CM Yogi said, “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 as well as religious gatherings in public spaces.

–IANS

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