The Hindu - International

Congress leading nation towards second Partition, says Yogi Adityanath

At rallies in three constituen­cies in Maharashtr­a, U.P. CM says BJP has curtailed terrorism and Naxalism in India; he attacks Congress for allegedly questionin­g the existence of Lord Ram

- Shoumojit Banerjee

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath alleged on Wednesday that the Congress seeks to Islamise the country. He said the Congress was leading India towards a “second Partition,” and lambasted it for coining the term ‘Hindu terrorism’.

Mr. Adityanath is holding a series of rallies in Maharashtr­a to bolster the Mahayuti-NDA candidates. Prime Minister Modi has just ‰nished a campaign tour of western Maharashtr­a.

Mr. Adityanath held public rallies in Solapur in support of the BJP’s Ram Satpute and later in Sangli and Kolhapur’s Hatkananga­le Lok Sabha constituen­cies to bat for the BJP’s Sanjaykaka Patil and Dhairyashe­el Mane of the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. All three seats go to the polls on May 7 in the third phase.

He lashed out at the

Congress for allegedly questionin­g the existence of Lord Ram and for allegedly allowing Muslims to slaughter cows across the country.

‘Standing enhanced’

He said the country’s borders were insecure, and terrorism and Naxalism were rampant during the Congress regimes. Mr. Adityanath said that India’s standing in the world, which had taken a knock, had been enhanced by 10 years of BJP rule at the

Centre. “It was the Congress that coined the term ‘Hindu terrorism’ to insult the Hindu community. At that time, the UPA was in power. No one can violate our borders today,” said Mr. Adityanath, speaking in Solapur.

He criticised the failure of Congress government­s in dealing with cross-border terrorism and national security issues. “Presently if there is an incident in India, Pakistan is quick to ožer explanatio­ns as it recognises the resolve of the

New India,” said Mr. Adityanath.

New resolve

“This ‘New India’ respects sovereignt­y and refrains from unnecessar­y interferen­ce, but it also responds decisively to provocatio­ns. This is not the India of the Congress era, where a slap was met with requests for patience and peace… If someone dares slap us today, we will retaliate,” he said, adding that under the BJP terrorism and Naxalism had been curtailed.

“The Congress questioned the existence of Lord Ram. They claimed rivers of blood would “ow if there was a resolution of the Ram Janmabhoom­i movement… Look at their double standards. First, they questioned the existence of Lord Ram, and now they say Lord Ram belongs to everyone,” he said.

He compared inheritanc­e tax to jaziya. “India will never accept this inheritanc­e tax,” said the UP Chief Minister.

 ?? PTI ?? Poll blitz: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath at an election rally in Solapur on Wednesday.
PTI Poll blitz: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP leader Yogi Adityanath at an election rally in Solapur on Wednesday.

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