UP polls: Those who fired at Ram bhakts roaming with Lord Hanuman’s mace, says Yogi Adityanath

LUCKNOW: In a stinging attack on the Samajwadi Party, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said those who opened fire on ‘Ram bhakts’ will offer ‘kar seva’ with devotees in Ayodhya after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.“People who had ordered firing on ‘Ram bhakts’ are now roaming around with Bajrang Bali’s mace. After we return to power at the Centre after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, most of these pariwarwadis will be seen offering ‘kar seva’ with Ram’s devotees in Ayodhya. This is a symbol of the BJP’s ideological victory,” Yogi said, addressing a public meeting in Ambedkarnagar.“During previous governments, people who roamed with pistols in their pockets are now carrying Lord Hanuman’s gada just to put up a deceptive appearance of positive change,” he said.Taking a dig at the BSP, Yogi said, “Ye haathi to waise bhi idhar-udhar fisal raha hai (The elephant is losing its balance). Those who fought elections with ‘elephant’ couldn’t handle the weight of ‘their’ misdeeds, the ‘cycle’ ought to get punctured.”The CM said the previous governments usurped the ration meant for the poor. “Those who denied ration to the poor, our bulldozers are ready for them. The power of the bulldozer is such that it is used for construction of expressways as well as to raze the properties of dishonest and corrupt leaders,” Yogi said.Invoking Ram Manohar Lohia, Yogi said: “In 1960, Lohia started the Ramayana Mela in various districts. Now, his present followers shoot at ‘Ram Bhakts’. Lohia always said that a true socialist must stay away from property and progeny. But the slogan of these so-called socialists is ‘Sabka saath, Saifai pariwar ka vikas’ unlike the BJP’s that works for ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas’.”Invoking the legacy of Raja Suheldev, who had defeated foreign invader Ghazi Saiyyad Salar Masood in a battle in Bahraich, he said: “People doing politics in the name of Raja Suheldev are working against his ideology. I believe that the followers of Suheldev cannot stand with Ghori and Ghaznavi. We do not believe in politics of caste, creed, and religion, we rather stand with nationalism.”“After four phases of polling, I can say with confidence that there is a wave in favour of the BJP and we will get an absolute majority. Once again, BJP will cross the mark of 300 seats,” Yogi said, appealing to voters support BJP for ‘danga mukt’ (riot-free), ‘bhay mukt’ (fear-free) and ‘arajakata mukt’ (anarchy-free) Uttar Pradesh.“If the BJP government is formed, free LPG will be given to the poor on Diwali and Holi. Free scooty will be given to meritorious girls. Two crore tablets and smartphones will also be given to the youth, Yogi promised.Addressing another rally at Bairia in Ballia, Yogi said his government’s achievements were much bigger in five years than that of SP and BSP combined in 15 years.“SP provided only 18,000 houses for the poor during its term in UP whereas we have given 58,000 houses in Ballia alone,” he said.“I have always visited Ballia during floods, during the novel coronavirus pandemic and occasionally to take stock of developmental projects,” Yogi added.Taking a jibe at the SP, he remarked: “During their rule, even electricity belonged to a certain caste and community. That’s why people had power supply during Eid and Muharram but not on Holi and Diwali. We are providing benefits to everyone without discrimination.”CM Yogi said that efforts were on to find a solution to the flood problem in Ballia through strengthening embankments, as well as to connect Ballia with Lucknow through Link Expressway.Yogi said opposition party leaders were already preparing to leave the country after March and had already started booking flights.Yogi said the government provided five lakh government jobs to the youth in the last five years.Yogi said the previous government had stopped pension to widows and senior citizens whereas his government was paying an annual pension of Rs 12,000 to them as well as to the differently-abled. “Pension amount will be increased to Rs 18,000,” he said.