Jaipur:
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, asserted on Thursday that BJP is going to win the elections amid a “wind of change” while hitting at the Congress-led government of Ashok Gehlot for crossing the limits of appeasement.
He said that Hindu temples faced destruction and symbols of subjugation were erected during the Mughal era.
“A disputed structure was built by demolishing the Ram temple in Ayodhya. When we protested, the Congress government used to commit atrocities,” the CM said.
During a series of five rallies in Rajasthan, Yogi Adityanath addressed eight assembly constituencies on Thursday.
The Chief Minister went on to criticize the Rajasthan government, accusing it of exceeding the limits of appeasement policies and discriminatory compensation practices.
“This government also discriminates in giving compensation. They give Rs 5 lakh compensation to Kanhaiya Lal’s family and if Muslims die in Jaipur after colliding with a motorcycle, they are given Rs 20 lakh each,” said UP CM Yogi.
Kanhaiya Lal was a tailor who had a store in Udaipur bazaar. It was said that he had extended his support to remarks made by BJP MP Nupur Sharma on Prophet Mohammad. Two people are said to have viciously killed Kanhaiya Lal because of his support.
He said that the people of Rajasthan are determined to change the government.
CM Yogi Adityanath held a public meeting in support of Prem Gochar from Pipalda and Hiralal Nagar from Sangod. He lauded the inspirational life and sacrifices of the courageous women of Rajasthan, emphasising that the nation draws strength from their stories.
The Chief Minister commended the unwavering bravery of Indian soldiers in safeguarding the country’s borders.
“Through their skills and crafts, the farmers and citizens from different sections of society here, contribute to PM Modi’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat’,” CM Yogi said.
He observed that a transformative shift was taking place in Rajasthan and expressed the state’s determination for change. Criticising Congress, he said that leaders were notably absent during crises like floods, heavy rain, or the pandemic.
While mentioning the failures of the state government, Yogi Adityanath praised Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for personally overseeing the distribution of relief materials during extreme rainfall.
He commended Birla for prioritizing the well-being of every individual without any kind of discrimination and said that public representatives should have the same kind of dedication and commitment to people’s welfare.
“If the BJP government had been in power, innocent people like Kanhaiya Lal would not have been killed,” said CM Yogi.
He asserted that under a BJP government, incidents like the killing of innocent individuals such as Kanhaiya Lal would not have occurred. The Chief Minister criticized the discriminatory compensation practices, pointing out the contrast in compensations where Rs 5 lakh was provided to Kanhaiya Lal’s family, while Muslims involved in a motorcycle collision in Jaipur were each granted Rs 20 lakh.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, voicing his support for MLA and candidate Ashok Dogra from Bundi, Chandrakanta from Keshavrai Patan, and Prabhulal Saini from Hindoli, accused the Rajasthan government of exceeding limits in appeasement.
“When the government was prohibiting entry to Mandhata Bala Ji temple, you made the government realise your strength against it,” said Yogi Adityanath.
He further said that the government had also prohibited the use of MP-MLA funds for certain purposes, including spending on religious places.
CM Yogi Adityanath also sought votes for BJP candidate Shatrughan Gautam in the Kekri assembly constituency. He criticized the Congress, stating that despite its long rule, Rajasthan has suffered under Congress leadership. Comparing the five years of BJP’s Vasundhara Raje government with the Congress’s Ashok Gehlot government, Yogi Adityanath emphasized the BJP’s commitment to development, contrasting it with Congress’s internal conflicts hindering progress.
Highlighting the deteriorating road conditions in the state, he said, “The roads here are dotted with potholes so much today that it is difficult to say whether there are potholes on the road or roads in the potholes.”
Drawing a parallel with the situation in Uttar Pradesh before 2017, he mentioned the dominance of mafias akin to pythons, and how the current government brought bulldozers to address the issue.
Yogi Adityanath emphasized the importance of using public funds for the welfare of the people, such as building houses for the poor.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also sought public support for Pushkar MLA and BJP candidate Suresh Singh Rawat during a visit to the pilgrimage site of Pushkar.
Expressing gratitude for the opportunity to visit the sacred place, Yogi Adityanath emphasised the blessings that yogis like him receive by visiting such pilgrimage sites. “A thousand years ago, India’s most glorious king, Prithviraj Chauhan, ruled in Ajmer. Despite defeating the foreign invader Mohammad Ghori 17 times, a small mistake made Prithviraj Chauhan hostage.”
Yogi Adityanath said that the people of Tirtharaj Pushkar would not repeat such mistakes. He also acknowledged the developmental work carried out during Vasundhara Raje Scindia’s tenure for the revival of the sacred lake in Pushkar, contrasting it with the perceived lack of progress during the Congress’s time.
Under the Congress, the daily road construction was limited to 14 km, but under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, it has surged to 38 km daily
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath concluded his last public meeting in Kishangarh on Thursday, urging voters to support BJP candidate Bhagirath Chaudhary.
He said that if the BJP wins, Congress’ mafia rule will be bulldozed in Rajasthan as well.
Yogi Adityanath highlighted infrastructure development, stating that under the Congress government, only 14 km of roads were built each day in the country. In contrast, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the current administration is constructing 38 km of highways daily.
Discussing healthcare, Yogi Adityanath emphasised the disparity between Congress and Modi-led governments. He noted that from 1947 to 2014, the Congress government built only six AIIMS institutions in the country, whereas in the nine years of Modi’s leadership, 22 AIIMS have been established, along with medical colleges being established in every district. Discussing Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asserted that brutal incidents like the murder of Kanhaiya Lal would not occur there because of the robust law and order.
The Chief Minister criticized the Congress, which held power for 60 years but failed to bring about significant development. He contrasted this with the achievements of the last nine years under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, highlighting initiatives such as providing toilets to 12 crore poor people, constructing 4 crore houses for impoverished individuals, ensuring electricity for 3.5 crore poor people, distributing free LPG connections to 9.60 crore families, and offering health insurance cover to 50 crore poor people.
Rajasthan is set to undergo assembly polls on November 25 and the counting of votes will be done on December 3.
The BJP won 163 seats in the 2013 Legislative Assembly elections and formed the government in Rajasthan. In the 2018 assembly elections, the Congress won 99 seats, while the BJP won 73 seats in the 200-member House. Mr Gehlot eventually took the oath as CM with the support of BSP MLAs and Independents.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)