Opposition manipulated with people’s faith, formed ties with criminals: U.P. CM Adityanath

At poll rally in Moradabad, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath highlights that no one dares to threaten women or businessmen anymore fearing the repercussions

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addresses a public meeting ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in Moradabad on Saturday. | Photo Credit: PTI

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday claimed that the governments in the past led by Opposition parties had given protection to mafia-like elements that were major obstacles to development.

Mr. Adityanath recounted the 1980 Moradabad riots and pointed out that details about the incident were suppressed for decades. “Innocent traders, Hindus, and Sikhs were killed in the violence, and no one was held accountable. There was also an anti-Sikh riot in Saharanpur in 2014, but the rioters are now hiding and begging for their lives,” said the Chief Minister addressing a public meeting in favour of BJP candidate from Moradabad Lok Sabha constituency Kunwar Sarvesh Singh.

‘No curfews or riots’

In present day U.P., there is no curfew or riots and in fact, curfews have been replaced by Kanwar Yatra, the BJP leader quipped.

Mr. Adityanath urged voters of Moradabad to support the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), blaming the Opposition for ignoring faith and development needs of the poor. “They believed it was their right to manipulate public faith. By forming alliances with criminals and anti-social elements, they compromised the safety of the public, particularly women and businessmen. Mafia-apradhi ya toh jail mein hain ya jehannum mein (In today’s U.P., mafia and criminals either languish in jail or rot in hell),” asserted the CM.

Pushing the safety narrative, Mr. Adityanath further added that no one dares to threaten women or businessmen anymore, fearing the repercussions. “Only the BJP government can ensure security. Those who used to bow down to the mafia cannot offer this level of protection,” he said.

‘Vote carefully’

Cautioning voters of Moradabad to exercise their franchise carefully, the CM added that farmers, youth, women, or businessmen feel safe because governments prioritising their welfare are in power in both New Delhi and Lucknow. “Good decisions bring positive results, while bad ones have repercussions,” he said.

Without naming Moradabad Lok Sabha MP S.T. Hasan, the CM said some politicians used to refrain from saying ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ and avoided actions that might “appease” the Hindu community.

Moradabad Lok Sabha seat, which consists of roughly 50% Muslim voters, remains a focus of the BJP with back-to-back rallies by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Mr. Adityanath. The BJP has won the seat only once till date. In 2019, Mr. Hasan defeated BJP nominee Sarvesh Singh by over 97,000 votes.

Mr. Adityanath said the country’s reputation has grown internationally with many long-standing internal problems resolved under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. “The abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir, ending insurgency in the Northeast and Naxalism, shows how internal security has improved,” claimed the CM.

Stressing upon the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Mr. Adityanath said the government has brought back Lord Ram, a symbol of India’s faith. “The realisation of our long-standing dream, the installation of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya is fulfilled. This aspiration, once considered a distant dream, has now materialised,” he added.

Eight Lok Sabha constituencies of U.P. are going to the polls in the first phase on April 19 comprising Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina (SC), Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit.