Will strongly tackle the criminals in UP: Adityanath

New Delhi, June 3 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that the state police will not hesitate to take strong action against criminals.

Interviewed on India TV's 'Aap Ki Adalat', Adityanath also said that not even a single Muslim has become a victim of any atrocity in the state since he took over power.

"Thok denge (will knock them down)" he said to a query on the law and order issue adding: "Our police would not hesitate in knocking down the criminals indulging in murders, rapes and robberies, if they did not mend their ways."

Adityanath sought to link the spurt in crimes to closure of illegal slaughter houses in the state.

"Those who were in the illegal slaughtering business, they are now unemployed. For employment, they will have to work as labourers, they have MNREGA. But if they resort to crimes, we will knock them down," he claimed.

On claims that many Muslims in UP are now living in a state of fear, Adityanath said: "In the last 70-72 days, not a single Muslim has become victim of any atrocity...You will be surprised to know, in my Janata Darshan programme, every day 25-50 Muslim women come with their parents, sons or sisters, and most of them have complained about their husbands who have given them 'talaaq' (divorce)."

"I am that many Muslim organisations have supported our move against triple talaq. Several Shia clerics in Lucknow have spoken against consuming beef. Those who follow the law and Constitution have nothing to fear, but if any body thinks he is above the law, he should have reason to fear," he said.

Asked whether he still stood by his inflammatory comments made against Muslims in the past, the Chief Minister said that those were "conditional comments".