“Ayodhya is attracting the world today with pride. Before 2017, people who hesitated to even take the name of Ayodhya let alone visit the place, are now eager to come to the city,” Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said here on Thursday at a rally ahead of the second round of civic body elections.

He said, “We are thankful for Prime Minister Modi’s policies that lent voice to this campaign of Ram Janmabhoomi, as a result of which the work of the grand temple of Ram Janambhoomi will be completed by the end of this year. When the work of Ram Janambhoomi will be completed, Ayodhya will be one of the most beautiful cities of the world.”

Without naming anybody, the chief minister alleged that some people had defamed Ayodhya by shedding the blood of Ram devotees.

“We are trying to restore its glory and establish it as a symbol of ‘Ram Rajya’. Today Ayodhya is changing, it is attracting everyone. Our people’s representatives are carrying out developmental works with complete dedication. So, we want a board to be formed under the leadership of Mahant Girish Pati Tripathi to make the city clean and beautiful,” he said.

The chief minister said, “Ayodhya is going to be the first solar city. Solar energy will be produced here through panels installed on roofs to meet the power requirements of houses. Electricity wioll be generated by installing solar panels at colleges, universities, canals as well as on the banks of Saryu river.”

On the occasion, the Yogi launched a scathing attack on Samajwadi Party, saying they never did any good to UP and have always supported mafias and criminals. Calling it a ‘destructive party’, he said the first decision that the party took after forming government in 2012 was to withdraw cases against terrorists involved in the attack on Ram Janmabhoomi, but the high court rejected this. The SP always puts hurdles in the development of the state whereas the double-engine government removed those barriers to fast-track development.

The CM said that the world’s perspective changed after the Prime Minister performed Bhoomi Pujan at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple. “We have made the concept of Ramrajya a reality by providing benefits of the schemes to everyone. The roads of Ayodhya are being widened, and there will be smart roads in Ayodhya,” he added.