Amid the mosque dispute in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Wednesday that Sambhal is mentioned in 5,000 years old scriptures and it is before Islam. Adityanath also said that the Shri Hari Vishnu temple in Sambhal was destroyed in 1526. He said, “Sambhal is mentioned in 5,000 years old texts. He mentions the future incarnation of Lord Vishnu. On the other hand, Islam emerged only 1,400 years ago. I am talking about something that is at least 2,000 years older than Islam.”
The Chief Minister said, “Evidence of these things has been present for centuries. Remember, the temple of Lord Vishnu was broken in Sambhal in 1526. Two years later, Ram temple in Ayodhya was also broken in 1528.”
Speaking in the program ‘Manthan: Kumbh and Akhand’ organized by the weekly magazine ‘Organizer’ related to the RSS, he said that both acts were performed by the same person.
Adityanath said that every religion and worship system in the world has some good qualities. The Chief Minister stressed that it is unacceptable to forcibly snatch someone’s faith and crush their beliefs – ‘Especially when we know the truth about Sambhal’.
After the court order in Sambhal last November, there is tension due to the survey of a mosque. Some people claim that this mosque is built on a demolished temple.
The Chief Minister said that Sambhal represents a ‘historical truth’, and he has always spoken openly about it.
He said, ‘I am a yogi. I respect every sect, community and worship system. If you go back to Gorakhnath, then you will see that there is no discrimination with anyone there. People of all castes, regions and sects sit together and eat in the same plate. Our revered saints, whether they are connected with any religion, sit together and eat and they get equal respect. ‘
The Chief Minister said, “That is why I say that the spirit of the Vedic tradition of India, as expressed in the Upanishads, is deeply contained in us. Every method of worship, whether it is related to Sanatan Dharma or any other religion in the world, has some underlying goodness, that is why so many people follow them.”
Pointing to opposition parties and critics, the Chief Minister said, “These people should first read the scriptures, only then I should challenge to debate them.”