Muslims should bow to ‘Indian culture’, Ram, Krishna, Shiva were their ancestors: UP minister

PTI, Sep 24, 2021, 1:12 PM IST

Uttar Pradesh minister Anand Swaroop Shukla has said that lord Ram, Krishna, and Shiva were the ancestors of Indian Muslims and they should bow to the “land and culture of India”.

In provocative remarks here, the minister of state for parliamentary affairs also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have defeated the mindset which intended to create an Islamic State in the country by raising the flag of Hindutva and “Indian culture”.

Presenting the account of Adityanath government’s work during the last four-and-a-half-years before the media on Thursday evening, Shukla said: “The ancestors of the Muslims of India are lord Ram, Krishna and Shankar (Shiva). They do not need to see the land of Kaaba. These people should bow to the land and culture of India.”

After Syria and Afghanistan, some people from different countries want to make the world an Islamic State. Some in India have this mindset too. But, the Modi and Adityanath governments at the Centre and state have raised the flag of Hindutva and “Indian culture” in the country and defeated this mindset, Shukla said.

Referring to controversial posters put up in Sambhal recently, Shukla said they were the outcome of Samajwadi Party’s support to Islamic terrorists and its MP Shaifur Rehman Barq’s statement supporting the Taliban.

Posters calling Sambhal the land of the “ghazis”, an apparent reference to Islamic warriors, had come up ahead of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s meeting there earlier this week.

The BJP had strongly objected to the posters, after which they were removed by workers of the All-India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

Shukla said ghazis have been completely eradicated from Uttar Pradesh. Such powers will not be able to raise their heads in future, he said.

Attacking Owaisi, Shukla said his ancestors wanted to make Hyderabad a separate nation but could not succeed.

“There are still people with such mentality. These are stupid people. Their ancestors became Muslims out of fear. This kind of thinking cannot flourish under the Modi and Adityanath governments,” he said.