Noida airport event: Yogi slams ‘Jinnah followers’ for spewing hate

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Noida international airport in Jewar, Adityanath said the people in western Uttar Pradesh made great efforts to grow the most exquisite sugarcane, while some people tried to vitiate the atmosphere by starting a series of riots in the country

Leveraging his “Ganna (sugarcane) Vs Jinnah” plank, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said while farmers added sweetness to society, certain followers of Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah started a series of riots.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Adityanath Yogi addresses a gathering at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Noida international airport in Greater Noida on Thursday. (Sunil Ghosh/HT Photo)

He was referring to Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s comments on November 1, on the occasion of the 146th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, wherein he said Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Jinnah had helped the country attain freedom.

Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony for the Noida international airport in Jewar, Adityanath said the people in western Uttar Pradesh made great efforts to grow the most exquisite sugarcane, while some people tried to vitiate the atmosphere by starting a series of riots in the country. “Now it is the responsibility of you all to decide — whether you want to add sweetness of sugarcane or support those who added bitterness in society,” the UP chief minister said, sounding the poll bugle. The state is set to go to assembly polls early next year.

Adityanath first raised the “Ganna Vs Jinnah” narrative in 2018, ahead of the Kairana bypolls.

“You all have witnessed the change that was started in 2014. You all saw how even during a global pandemic the government at the state and Centre protected people. We have seen the how Prime Minister has made the country a global power. Airport is an important project for western UP because farmers of this region have always worked to strengthen the country,” said Adityanath in his seven-minute speech before Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the airport project before a gathering of over 100,00 people.

“All farmers are to be thanked as they have given up their land for the airport. I express gratitude to all farmers. I pay my respects to all western UP farmers for supporting the development work that the state has started,” the CM said.

Criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party in a series of tweets, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav said what is being built today (referring to the airport) will be put on sale tomorrow.

He also attacked the Prime Minister’s remarks on double-engine growth for UP.

“Those whose plane has been grounded by the force of public anger, and those whose flight has been cancelled may claim whatever engine their plane has, but the people have realised that it is nothing but a ‘jumla’”, the SP chief tweeted in Hindi.