Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said the previous governments in Uttar Pradesh gave patronage to those who created anarchy while there have been no riots or curfews during his seven-year tenure in the state.
Addressing an election rally in support of Jitendra Singh, the BJP candidate from the Udhampur-Kathua Lok Sabha constituency, Adityanath urged the people to vote for the saffron party, crediting the sitting MP for advancing the region's development.
He also described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a modern-day architect of India's progress and attributed the nation's achievements to his leadership.
"There was anarchy in Uttar Pradesh under the patronage of previous governments and curfews and riots a regular affair. During my tenure of seven years as chief minister of UP, there were no riots or curfews," Adityanath said.
Now, the annual 'Kavad Yatra' takes place in a free atmosphere and "UP is the country's first state where loudspeakers have been removed from religious sites", the chief minister said, adding people want peace and development.
Adityanath said Ayodhya, Mathura and Vrindavan are models of how faith needs to be respected and asked people to especially visit Ayodhya -- where a grand Ram Temple was inaugurated by Modi on January 22.
He said there was a "sense of security" among the people of Uttar Pradesh and if anyone does any mischief, the person is immediately taken to task.
Adityanath highlighted the changes that have taken place in the state ever since the BJP-led government came to power and said earlier, Hindus hesitated to embrace their beliefs and heritage but that has changed.
"People used to hesitate to call themselves Hindus. They were afraid to take the name of Ayodhya. When I became the chief minister in 2017, people questioned my visit to Ayodhya. I was told that some sections might get angry but we held festivals there," he said.
Adityanath highlighted the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, contrasting the proactive approach of his government with what he described as the Congress' dismissive stance towards Hinduism.
"If a good government is formed, it ends the long wait of 500 years. Today, a big Ram Mandir has been constructed in Ayodhya. Could the Congress have done it? The Congress used to say there is no Ram, no Krishna. Those who were accidental Hindus used to question the existence of Ram and Krishna. It was the biggest insult to our faith. How they tried to insult our faith by negating our deities," he said.
The chief minister credited the Modi government for "bolstering" national security and propelling India to new heights of development, leading to its emergence as the world's fifth-largest economy.
"We have ensured the security of this country and taken it to new heights of development. The entire country knows about the development work taking place. India has surpassed Britain, who occupied us for years, to become the fifth biggest economy in the world," he said.
However, he also cautioned people against falling for "divisive tactics" and urged them to prioritise the nation's future over caste, creed or region.
"It is important to vote in support of Dr Jitendra Singh who is contesting for the third time. Based on the development done during the last 10 years, Modi ji has sought the people's mandate again to make India the third largest economy in the world.
"The credit for the development of India goes to Modi ji. He is the modern-day architect of India," he said.
He also expressed gratitude towards the people of the country for choosing the BJP.
"Ram Mandir has been built in Ayodhya, India has become a big economy, there is a sense of security among the people, development projects are taking place, while schemes for the poor and marginalized have been launched.
"The credit goes to you also because you gave him (Modi) your vote and the command of this country," he said.
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