Predicting that Congress won’t be able to secure a single seat in Uttar Pradesh in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath advised Mallikarjun Kharge, the party’s national president, to prioritise honesty in his statements.
The chief minister made the remark during a media interview at his official residence here on Wednesday.
Yogi accused Congress of perpetuating divisions based on various factors, such as ideology, religion, geography, and language. He specifically criticised Kharge for his ‘unsavoury’ remarks on revered deities like Lord Shiva and Lord Shri Ram, calling them indicative of their narrow-minded approach.
Yogi Adityanath also directed his criticism at Akhilesh Yadav, accusing him of showing disregard to Babasaheb and proponents of social justice. He also emphasised the growing dissent within the Opposition coalition regarding Prime Minister Modi’s vision for India’s development.
He said, “With the conclusion of the four phases of the Lok Sabha elections Modi wave has turned into a tsunami, while the Opposition has lost its steam. The electorate has rejected them, thwarting the Indi alliance’s attempts to damage the nation irreparably. Now, they will never be able to ascend to power in the country.”
CM Yogi highlighted the Congress party’s disrespect towards Babasaheb and the SP’s disregard for other champions of social justice.
He cited instances of SP President Akhilesh Yadav’s remarks about demolishing memorials of Dalit leaders and the removal of Babasaheb’s name from the Kannauj Medical College to prove his point. He said changes were made in institutions like the Kanshiram Medical College and Language University.
Yogi condemned the Indi alliance for allegedly engaging in divisive caste politics disregarding the principles of the Indian Constitution.
Furthermore, Yogi underscored the remarkable journey of ‘New India’ under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, which has “transformed our nation into a beacon of respect and efficient governance”.
Taking a jab at the Opposition, he said, “This vision of a developed India is unsettling for the Indi alliance, which hovers between advocating Pakistan and pushing for caste-based census.”
He criticised Congress for its extensive history of constitutional amendments and alterations. “Now, they aim to undermine the reservation system for the SC, ST, and OBC communities,” he added.
Yogi predicted that the public would reject them in the upcoming phases of the Lok Sabha polls. He labeled the Indi alliance ‘Anti-Ram, Anti-Indian values, and Anti-reservation’. Referring to past attempts under the UPA government to dilute reservations through committees like Ranganath Mishra and Sachar, Yogi cautioned people saying, “Their intentions liken them to Aurangzeb’s oppressive taxes.”
He stressed the imperative of rejecting such propositions outright. Yogi recounted the consistent support Modi received from the people of Uttar Pradesh in 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2022. “In 2024, the public is again with Modi ji, with slogans like ‘Fir Ek Baar Modi Sarkar’ and ‘Abki Baar 400 Paar’ resonating across the country.