Yogi slams Cong over Ram temple

LORMI: Raking up the Ram temple issue, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday sought to know whether Congress was concerned about Lord Ram or Mughal emperor Babur.

Addressing a poll rally in Chhattisgarh on the last day of campaigning for the first phase of the state polls, he alleged that the Congress toyed with national security and actively and covertly supported Maoism in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand for political gains. Despite having extensive mineral deposits and forest wealth, Chhattisgarh remained “poor, backward and a Bimaru state” during the Congress rule, he said.

“Today, the forest wealth is being used for the welfare of locals. The tribals and forest dwellers are being given benefits of development schemes,” the priest-turned-politiciansaid.

“The Congress encouraged Naxalism for its gains, but when it became dangerous for the security of people, it was the BJP which had to deal with the issue sternly. Congress has been encouraging Naxalism actively and covertly,” he alleged.

“The Congress should be asked if their relation is with Ram or with foreign invader Babur. The Congress has no idea about the country’s respect and ‘swabhimaan’ (self-respect). The Congress always played with the national security and is now coming in front of you for votes,” the Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. He said Chhattisgarh could only develop when the BJP governments at the Centre and state worked together.