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Yogi slams SP over Lucknow guest house, Ayodhya firing incidents
CM inaugurated and laid foundation stone of 4,977 development projects worth ₹2,122 crore in Ambedkar Nagar, 411 development projects worth ₹1,090 crore in Ayodhya and 422 projects worth ₹1689.46 crore in Gonda
LUCKNOW Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday recalled the infamous Lucknow State Guest House incident as well as the Ayodhya firing – both of which happened in the nineties within a few years of each other – to slam the state’s main opposition party as being “anti-dalit and anti-Hindu”.
Adityanath’s twin attack came during his whirlwind tours of Ambedkar Nagar and Ayodhya – the former a BSP bastion, BJP is now looking to breach and the latter a religious hot spot, which is now witnessing large pilgrim turnout since the January 22 Ram temple inauguration.
Apart from these two places, Adityanath also visited Gonda. He unveiled/laid foundation stone of several development projects at the three places. The CM inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 4,977 development projects worth ₹2,122 crore at Civil Lines Ground in Ambedkar Nagar, 411 development projects worth ₹1,090 crore in Ayodhya and 422 projects worth ₹1689.46 crore in Gonda.
It was in Ambedkar Nagar from where the BJP recently fielded sitting BSP MP Ritesh Pandey on its symbol for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Adityanath recalled the 1995 Lucknow Guest House incident when the BJP rescued BSP chief Mayawati from a mob, which allegedly included Samajwadi Party cadres who were angry at BSP withdrawing support to the SP government under the then chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.
“The SP is anti-Dalit. This is the same party that caused the Guest House scandal and called for the removal of memorials built in the name of great Dalit leaders. In contrast, the double-engine BJP government built Panch Teerth in the name of Baba Saheb Ambedkar. Our government has provided housing to 4 crore people. While our government built houses for the poor, devotees ensured Ram Temple was built in Ayodhya,” he said.
“These (SP) people wanted to change the name of your district too. They even removed the name of Kannauj Medical College named after Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, but we decided to restore it. Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar was the architect of the Constitution and there could be no compromise on the name of the college,” Adityanath said.
“Prior to 2017, mafias used to capture land in Ambedkar Nagar, but today no mafia can seize land or harass girls because they know that Yamraj (God of Death) has laid a trap for them at the next intersection,” he emphasised.
The CM also inaugurated two private industrial development projects in Ambedkar Nagar and honoured beneficiaries of various schemes, including investors.
“People of SP and Congress were unable to provide such benefits as BJP is extending to the poor as a war was going on between ‘chacha and bhatija’, Adityanath remarked. He said Ambedkar Nagar received investment proposals worth over ₹6,000 crore, which meant that direct and indirect employment would be available to 10,000 people.
In Ayodhya, Adityanath said over one crore devotees had the opportunity to have ‘darshan’ of Ram Lalla between January 22 and March 10. “It is by the grace of God that the darshan and worship are progressing smoothly, peacefully, and securely,” he remarked.
He also lauded the people of Ayodhya for setting an example of hospitality during this period.
“Today, the name of Ayodhya echoes across the world,” he said and recalled how things have changed since the 1990s.
“Kuch log kaha karte the, Ayodhya mein parinda bhi par nahi maar sakta, ab toh ek crore se adhik shraddhalu Shri Ram Lalla ke navya-divya-bhavya mandir mein darshan kar chuke hain (Some people said not even a bird can fly into Ayodhya, but now over one crore devotees have visited the magnificent and divine temple of Shri Ram lalla),” Adityanath said.
Referring to Ayodhya’s development since, he said: “Airports, four-lane, six-lane roads are now there in Ayodhya. Would a safe environment have been fostered in the state under an SP or Congress government?”
“Ayodhya is moving on a new path of development with works worth more than ₹32,000 crore being carried out. New flight services have starting here, and new hotels and restaurants are opening,” he added. Adityanath also visited Hanuman Garhi temple.
‘Ensure 24-h darshan at Ram temple during Navratri’
According to a report from PTI, chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reviewed preparations for Ram Navami and directed officials to ensure 24-hour ‘darshan’ and worship at Ayodhya’s Ram temple on Ashtami, Navami and Dashami during Navratri.
The CM directed officials to coordinate with the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to facilitate this and emphasised that the temple doors should be closed only for special worship ceremonies during this period, stated a release.
He also directed to arrange electric buses for devotees in collaboration with the transport corporation and stressed on maintaining cleanliness, providing drinking water and heat mitigation for public convenience.
Arrangements should be made to ensure that devotees do not walk more than two-and-a-half kilometres, he said.
Noting that Lok Sabha elections will coincide with next month’s Ram Navami festival, Adityanath suggested that police and other essential service providers be placed on permanent duty at key locations and exempted from poll duty.
Ayodhya district magistrate Nitish Kumar made a presentation to Adityanath on the preparations and the major initiatives undertaken by departments and agencies.
