Not forcing anyone to raise 'Jai Shri Ram' slogan: Yogi Adityanath claims

Lucknow: UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday claimed that no one is being forced to raise 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans and there is nothing to feel bad about such chants after his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee refused to speak at an event over raising of such slogans.

Mamata Banerjee on Saturday refused to address an event on the occasion of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's 125th birth anniversary after chants of 'Jai Shri Ram' were raised.

Adityanath in response to this, spoke to a select group of journalists and said, "If someone says Jai Shri Ram there is nothing to feel bad about it as it is a greeting"'.

"If someone says 'namaskar' or 'Jai Shri Ram' it shows his etiquette," he added.

The West Bengal chief minister had expressed displeasure at BJP supporters at the event shouting slogans. She said such an "insult" was unacceptable.

With elections due in the state in March-April, the tussle between the BJP and Banerjee's TMC has intensified.

Talking about law and order in the state, Adityanath, said the state witnessed several riots during earlier regimes while under this government the state has not witnessed any such incident.

He also claimed the law and order situation in the state is one of the best in the country.