Fight Guru

PIYUSH SRIVASTAVA : Sat Feb 03 2007, 11:52 hrs

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There is a curious connection between the emergence of BJP MP Yogi Adityanath in politics and the rise of communal conflict in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The 34-year-old successor to the Gorakshnath peeth, who became the youngest MP at 26 in the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998, says it's no secret that he's doing all that he can to propagate an aggressive Hindutva agenda.And while Yogi Adityanath, in jail for inciting violence in Gorakhpur's communal clashes, is spending time reading newspapers these days, his followers outside are much more restive, sending out SMSes that read, 'save Yogi, save the ego of Gorakhpur'.
Others are pitching in with their support. Hindu Mahasabha MLA Radha Mohan Das Agrawal has often declared that "eastern UP is a Hindu Rashtra and Yogi is its president as well as its prime minister". Adityanath has indulged in some grand posturing as well. "The Hindus were living in fear before I came on the scene. I have been representing their emotional overflow of feelings. By virtue of being a religious as well as a political representative of the masses, people come to me with their problems and I make it a point to solve it immediately. In many cases, members of the Muslim community may not like it but that doesn't mean that I stop being honest to those who trust me."
Born on June 5, 1972, in Uttarakhand's Panchur village, it was only in the mid-1990s after the release of his book Yogic Satkarm, that the name Yogi stuck on. He is also trained in Hathayog (a practice of body torture), a not so common form of yoga that was practised by sadhus who lived in caves, but he's certainly not given to asceticism. This hathayogi loves luxuries and has a constant crowd around him.
BUT there are graver accusations against Yogi Adityanath. His critics charge his organisation Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV) of being involved in over two-dozen instances of communal strife in the region since 1998. Like last Friday's incident in Gorakhpur where his call for a rally and his subsequent arrest prompted the HYV to go on a rampage. His role in Mau riots in October 2005 has also been established in an inquiry by the state police.
Now the region is in the line of fire again. Adityanath's spiritual guru, former BJP MP and Mahant of Gorakshnath temple Avaidyanath has gone on to announce that the violence will continue till the killers of Raj Kumar Agrahari, who was killed last Friday during a communal clash, was not arrested.
Meanwhile, the yogi is busy pursuing his agenda and he's clear he won't spare anyone who comes in his way. Not even his own party. "I propagate aggressive Hindutva which is the essence of my existence. So it is obvious that I will oppose the BJP if it goes soft on the issue," he says determinedly.
He had recently said that his organisation might field candidates against the BJP in the assembly election. Earlier, he had opposed the National Council meeting of the party held at Lucknow by convening a Vishwa Hindu Mahasammelan at Gorakhpur on the same dates to protest against "the BJP's soft posture towards the minorities".
But many in the party are now prepared to overlook the past. "Whatever happened before is over. The yogi will always be a guiding force of the party in eastern UP," says Kalraj Mishra, the party's Rajya Sabha member.

INDIAN EXPRESS