Omar Rashid 
New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath’s campaign trail in Jharkhand and Maharashtra has all been about consolidating the Hindu vote through the demonisation of Muslims and the promise of a UP-model style of government to ruthlessly deal with ‘stone-pelters’ who supposedly disrupt Hindu festivals – a coded reference to Muslims.
By peddling the conspiracy theories of ‘land jihad,’ ‘love jihad,’ and ‘demographic change’ due to the influx of Bangladeshis and the Rohingya, Adityanath, one of the most popular campaigners of the Bharatiya Janata Party, has unpacked his warning of ‘batenge toh katenge’ in both states. The slogan translates to ‘[we will be] slaughtered if divided,’ and ostensibly refers to Hindus.
In half-a-dozen rallies by Adityanath in Maharashtra and Jharkhand this week, not only did the theme of Ram Mandir and Hindu festivals dominate, but he also made veiled promises that the Hindu Right would take over mosques in Varanasi and Mathura just like it did in Ayodhya, where the Ram Mandir was built.
In Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, Adityanath accused the Hemant Soren-led government of allowing ‘ghuspaith’ or ‘infiltration’ of people from Bangladesh and Myanmar in a bid to cause ‘demographic change.’ The government led by the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha made “love jihad and land jihad a part of a conspiracy to change the demography” of the state,” said Adityanath.
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He also alleged that the government had backed those who pelted stones on Durga idol processions and Ram Navami shobha yatras in the state. “There is only one cure for these unruly elements, bring the BJP,” said Adityanath.
In another public meeting in Barkagaon assembly seat in Hazaribagh, Adityanath resorted to more fear-mongering among Hindus about the alleged influx of Bangladeshis and Rohingyas into Jharkhand. “If demographic change takes place in this way, today they are stopping yatras. In the future, they won’t even let you ring a bell or blow the conch inside your homes,” he said.
Bulldozer praise
Adityanath publicised the way in which his government had tackled incidents of stone-pelting during Hindu shobha yatras in UP. “These pathharbaaz (stone-pelters) were also there in Kashmir. Today, all these pathharbaaz have left on a yatra of ‘Ram naam satya hai (a funeral procession cry for Hindus)’. Before 2017, they also operated in UP. Their masters would loot the state in the form of land mafia, cattle mafia, mining mafia and through organised crime. They would raise them (stone-pelters) and disrupt festivals. But now all the dreaded mafia have either left UP or gone on a trip to hell,” said Adityanath.
On the other hand, he showcased the successful conclusion of the Kanwar Yatra in UP, even though it was mired by violent incidents of vandalism and damage to public safety. The state elections in Jharkhand were to demonstrate their “might”, said Adityanath to Hindus. “Let your might be felt. And these stone-pelters will be seen with brooms in their hands sweeping the streets for you. This election is one to make your might felt. Don’t get divided into castes,” said the UP chief minister.
In Koderma, Adityanath boasted about the use of bulldozers in UP against “mafia” elements. “Prior to 2017, the mafia would walk around UP with the chests pumped. But after 2017, when bulldozers started being used, even the most dreaded mafia left the lands of UP. Today, some are in jail while others have embarked on a ‘Ram naam satya hain’ yatra,” said Adityanath.
‘Temple is just a beginning’
The UP CM also made several references to the existing legal disputes around Mughal-era mosques in Varanasi and Mathura, and hinted that like in Ayodhya, the Hindu Right would emerge victorious in the other two matters as well. “It’s natural, how is our Krishna Kanhaiya going to relent,” Adityanath said, promising that Ayodhya-like ‘darshan’ of the deity would become a possibility in Mathura as well.
“The Ram Mandir was just a beginning,” he asserted.
In Maharashtra’s Washim, Adityanath elaborated on this further. Referring to the consecration ceremony of the Ram Mandir in January by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Adityanath said the PM had described the event as “just a beginning.” “Not only in Ayodhya, now we have also moved towards Kashi and Mathura,” said Adityanath.
Across his rallies in Maharashtra, Adityanath repeated the polarising catchphrase “Ek rahoge toh nek rahoge. Safe rahoge. Bate thay toh kate thay.” Translated it means, “Stay united and you will be fine. You will be safe. Stay divided and you will be slaughtered.”
In Teosa in Amravati, Adityanath appealed Hindus to unite just like Maratha ruler Shivaji had managed to unite Hindu lords and kings during the rule of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
“Bato mat. Bate that toh kate thay (don’t get divided. When we got divided, we were slaughtered),” said Adityanath.
“If Hindus stayed united, nobody would pelt stones at their shobha yatras,” he added.