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EC gag order ends, Yogi Adityanath stirs new row
“On the one hand, there is a candidate from a party which developed places linked to Baba Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Gautam Budhha. On the other hand, there is an Opposition candidate who calls himself a ‘Babar ki Aulad’,” Yogi said at an election rally here.
Hours after the Election Commission’s 72-hour ban on him campaigning ended, chief minister Yogi Adityanath was at it again.
“On the one hand, there is a candidate from a party which developed places linked to Baba Bhim Rao Ambedkar and Gautam Budhha. On the other hand, there is an Opposition candidate who calls himself a ‘Babar ki Aulad’,” Yogi said at an election rally here.
He said, “Once I was in Parliament, I asked the SP candidate, who was also an MP, as to who were his predecessors, he said he was the successor of Babar. I was surprised.”
He was referring to the Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party-Rashtriya Lok Dal (SP-BSP-RLD) alliance’s Sambhal candidate Shafiq-ur-Rehman Barq.
Barq couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
On Monday, the Election Commission barred Adityanath from campaigning for 72 hours starting 6 am on Tuesday for making comments that violated the so-called model code of conduct in place since the March 10 announcement of the Lok Sabha poll schedule until the end of the staggered elections on May 19 .
“Do you want to hand over the rule (power) to those who oppose Bajrangbali,” Adityanath said at the rally after offering prayers at the Kaila Devi temple here.
Interestingly, one of the comments that got him into trouble was about how his party had faith in Bajrangbali if the opposition had faith in Ali. Bajrangbali is another name for Hanuman and Ali is a revered figure for Muslims. The chief minister’s latest comment prompted SP chief Akhilesh Yadav to demand that the Election Commission bar Adityanath from campaigning again.
Adityanath claimed at the Sambhal rally that while BJP governments provided the benefits of welfare schemes without discrimination, during Congress rule, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said that Muslims had the first right to the country’s resources.
He asked: “What kind of politics is the Congress doing?”
Targeting BSP chief Mayawati, he said she had asked Muslims to unite and vote for the SP-BSP alliance.
“But we never asked for votes in the name of caste and religion. We counted on our developmental work, the service of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji who made foolproof arrangements for the country’s security. The forces and government destroyed the terrorist camps inside enemy territory through surgical strike and airstrikes under the prime minister’s leadership. The whole world is appreciating the valour of the Indian armed forces. Therefore, the BJP should get support from the public.”
The crowd welcomed Yogi Adityanath with slogans of “Jai Bajrang Bali” and “Jai Shri Ram.” Launching a scathing attack on the SP, the BSP and the Congress, he said Mayawati was seeking votes for a leader (Azam Khan), who insulted Bhim Rao Ambedkar and also used objectionable words for “daughters and sisters”.
“Our government has formed the anti-Romeo squad for people like Azam Khan,” he said.
He asked the crowd: “Will you vote for those who refuse to sing Vande Mataram, hesitate in garlanding the statue of Dr Ambedkar and entering Kela Devi temple?”
The BJP has fielded Parmeshwar Lal Saini in Sambhal.
