Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath
Credit: PTI Photo
Ayodhya (UP): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday launched a scathing attack on opposition parties, particularly the Samajwadi Party questioning the intentions of those who, he claimed, see "vote banks" even in instances of atrocities.
He said this during a public address in Milkipur in the Ayodhya district.
The Milkipur Vidhan Sabha is scheduled for a by-poll. It is part of the Faizabad parliamentary constituency which was won by SP's Awadhesh Prasad in the recent Lok Sabha polls.
Addressing the gathering at the installation ceremony of statues of revered saints and deities at Ayodhya Vidyapeeth, Adityanath said, "Those who see a vote bank in acts of atrocities cannot be your well-wishers."
The chief minister referred to a recent incident in Ayodhya where a 12-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped. Police arrested bakery owner Moid Khan and his employee Raju Khan on July 30 in connection with the case, according to an official statement.
Adityanath said that despite Khan being associated with the SP, the party took no action against him. He added that the district administration had demolished Khan's bakery, claiming it was illegally constructed on a filled-in pond.
Adityanath also talked about the recent developments in Ayodhya saying, "In the past seven years, Ayodhya has gained a new identity, which was not easy to achieve. It is now the responsibility of Ayodhya's residents to preserve this identity." According to the statement, the chief minister also spoke on the situation in crisis-hit Bangladesh.
"Ninety per cent of those persecuted in Bangladesh are Dalit Hindus, yet there is silence because they do not serve as a vote bank here," Adityanath said.
He stressed on the responsibility to protect Hindus in Bangladesh, saying, "Being Hindu in Bangladesh is not a mistake but a blessing, and it is our duty to stand by them in their time of need," according to the statement.
The chief minister further criticised what he termed "negative forces" who do not respect the Indian culture or raise their voices against the persecution of Hindus worldwide due to concerns about losing their vote bank.
Adityanath expressed his gratitude for being able to participate in the installation of the sacred statues, saying "It is my fortune to have the honour of installing the holy statues of Shri Ram Darbar and revered saints on the sacred land of Ayodhya Dham."