“If not in India, then where should Ram Mandir be built?”: A cab driver’s take on Yogi Adityanath

‘Bad news has good legs,’ wrote Richard Llewellyn in How Green Was My Valley.

When Yogi Adityanath took centre stage in India’s most populous state, there were more than a few eyebrows raised. As a man clad in saffron-robes, who is considered a Hindu hardliner, took oath as Uttar Pradesh’s new chief minister and BJP received much flak for their choice.

PM Narendra Modi’s choice was brandished as everything from a “liberal meltdown” to a “regressive” one that saw him almost embracing the far-right ideologies of his party in a bear hug.

Yogi Adityanath, however, is not new to the spotlight. With his name making headlines for calling India a purely “Hindu Rashtra” to his provocative speeches against the Muslims, this Yogi baba has done it all. Within a few days of his appointment, Yogiji has already promised to rebuild the Ram Mandir on the grounds where Babri Masjid once stood and has launched the Anti-Romeo squad.

Satendar Kumar is a cab driver from Jharkhand and he believes that this decision could not have come at a better time.

Satendar is disappointed in his Chief Minister Raghubar Das, who he believes lacks the passion Naredra Modi exuded as a CM. Much like what Arvind Kejriwal had promised to be. And what Yogiji hopes to achieve.

“It is a good thing that Yogiji is continuing to make headlines, even if he makes news for the wrong reasons. At least he made it to the headlines!” said Satendar.

He believes that leader cannot make progress unless he is in the public eye.

44-year-old Adityanath (Ajay Singh Bisht) studied mathematics before deciding to become a priest. He rose to prominence propelled by the campaign that sought to rebuild the controversial Ram temple in Ayodhya. This yogi has also been charged for multiple accounts for fanning communal tensions and has spent close to a fortnight in jail for an inflammatory speech against Muslims that sparked riots in the state.

Adityanath is still on trial for the two of these cases.