Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Yogi stokes row with Ali-Bajrang Bali remarks - Hindustan Times
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Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Yogi stokes row with Ali-Bajrang Bali remarks

Hindustan Times, Lucknow | ByMohd Arshi Rafique
Apr 10, 2019 09:37 AM IST

"Agar Congress, SP, BSP ko Ali par vishwaas hai, toh humein bhi Bajrang Bali par vishwaas hai (If the Congress, the SP and the BSP have faith in Ali, then we too have faith in Bajrang Bali)," the BJP leader said at an election meeting in Meerut.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday stoked a controversy when he dubbed the Muslim League a “green virus” and suggested that Hindu and Muslim voters are in an “Ali-Bajrang Bali” contest.

UP Chief minister Yogi Adityanath(HT File)
UP Chief minister Yogi Adityanath(HT File)

Attacking Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati for recently appealing to Muslims to vote for the opposition alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Adityanath said now the Hindus have “no option” but to vote for the BJP.

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"Agar Congress, SP, BSP ko Ali par vishwaas hai, toh humein bhi Bajrang Bali par vishwaas hai (If the Congress, the SP and the BSP have faith in Ali, then we too have faith in Bajrang Bali)," the BJP leader said at an election meeting in Meerut.

Adityanath had used the Ali-Bajrang Bali formulation last year as well after Congress leader Kamal Nath allegedly said the support of 90 per cent of Muslim voters was needed for the Congress to win the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls.

In Bareilly, he accused Mayawati of hurting Dalit sentiments with her call to Muslim voters at a rally in Saharanpur's Deoband. Adityanath said Mayawati was playing with the interests of Dalits to attract Muslim votes.

“Her concern for Muslim votes will lead her to the same fate as that of Dalit thinker Jogendra Nath Mandal.”

Explaining further, Yogi said that Baba Sahib Bhimrao Ambedkar and Mandal were two great Dalit leaders who worked extensively for the rights of the community.

“After partition, Ambedkar became the law minister of India, while Mandal went to Pakistan in the same capacity. However, moved by the atrocities on Dalits in Pakistan, he returned to India in 1950, and after leading an anonymous (gumnaam) life for 18 years, he died,” said Yogi. He said that Mayawati was following in the same footsteps (by running after Muslims votes) and would meet a similar fate.

Adityanath said the BJP will construct the Ram temple in Ayodhya and all options for doing so under the ambit of the Constitution were being explored.

"Only the BJP will get the Ram temple constructed in Ayodhya and all options for it under the Constitution are being explored. No one should have any doubt over the BJP on this count," the chief minister said addressing an election meeting here in favour of BJP candidate Santosh Gangwar.

(With agency inputs)

 

 

 

 

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