Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said that Hindu temples faced destruction and symbols of subjugation were erected during the Mughal era. “A disputed structure was built by demolishing the Ram temple in Ayodhya. When we protested, the Congress government committed atrocities,” he said.

During a series of five poll rallies in Rajasthan, Yogi Adityanath addressed eight assembly constituencies on Thursday.

The UP Chief Minister came down heavily on the Rajasthan government and accused it of exceeding all limits of appeasement politics. “This government also discriminates in giving compensation. It offers Rs 5 lakh compensation to Kanhaiya Lal’s family and Rs 20 lakh compensation each to Muslims killed in Jaipur after colliding with a motorcycle.”

CM Yogi Adityanath held a public meeting in support of Prem Gochar from Pipalda and Hiralal Nagar from Sangod. He lauded the inspirational life and sacrifices of the courageous women of Rajasthan, emphasizing that the nation draws strength from their stories. The Chief Minister commended the unwavering bravery of Indian soldiers in safeguarding the country’s borders.

“Through their skills and crafts, the farmers and citizens from different sections of society here contribute to PM Modi’s vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’,” Yogi said. He observed that a transformative shift was taking place in Rajasthan and the state appears determined to go for a change. Criticizing the Congress, he said that its leaders were notably absent during crises like floods, heavy rain, or pandemic.

While mentioning the failures of the Rajasthan government, Yogi Adityanath praised Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla for personally overseeing the distribution of relief materials during extreme rainfall. He commended Birla for prioritizing the well-being of every individual without any kind of discrimination and said that public representatives should have the same kind of dedication and commitment towards people’s welfare.

Voicing his support for sitting MLA and BJP candidate Ashok Dogra from Bundi, Chandrakanta from Keshavrai Patan, and Prabhulal Saini from Hindoli, Yogi Adityanath accused the Rajasthan government of exceeding all limits of appeasement politics. “When the state government was prohibiting entry to Mandhata Bala Ji temple, you made the government realize your strength.” He further said that the government had also prohibited the use of MP-MLA funds for certain purposes, including spending on religious places.

Yogi Adityanath contrasted this with the Uttar Pradesh government’s initiative to beautify religious places. He asserted that under a BJP government, incidents like the killing of innocent individuals such as Kanhaiya Lal would not have occurred. The Chief Minister criticized the discriminatory compensation practices, pointing out the contrast in compensations where Rs 5 lakh was provided to Kanhaiya Lal’s family, while Muslims involved in a motorcycle collision in Jaipur were each granted Rs 20 lakh.

CM Yogi Adityanath sought votes for BJP candidate Shatrughan Gautam in the Kekri assembly constituency. He criticized the Congress, stating that despite its long rule, Rajasthan has suffered under the Congress leadership. Comparing the five years of BJP’s Vasundhara Raje government with the Congress’s Ashok Gehlot government, Yogi Adityanath underscored the BJP’s commitment to development and contrasted it with the Congress’s internal conflicts which hinder progress.

Highlighting the deteriorating road conditions in the state, he quipped: “The roads here are dotted with potholes. So much that it is difficult to say whether there are potholes on the road or roads in the potholes.” The Chief Minister also mentioned tax collection in Kekri.

Drawing a parallel with the situation in Uttar Pradesh before 2017, he mentioned the dominance of mafias akin to pythons, and how the current government brought bulldozers to address the issue. Yogi Adityanath emphasized the importance of using public funds for the welfare of the people, such as building houses for the poor.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath sought public support for Pushkar MLA and BJP candidate Suresh Singh Rawat during a visit to the pilgrimage site of Pushkar. Expressing gratitude for getting the opportunity to visit the sacred place, Yogi Adityanath stressed on the blessings that yogis like him receive by visiting such pilgrimage sites. “A thousand years ago, India’s most glorious king Prithviraj Chauhan ruled in Ajmer. Despite defeating the foreign invader Mohammad Ghori 17 times, a small mistake made Prithviraj Chauhan hostage.” Yogi Adityanath said that the people of Tirtharaj Pushkar will not repeat such mistakes. He also acknowledged the developmental work carried out during Vasundhara Raje Scindia’s tenure for the revival of the sacred lake in Pushkar, contrasting it with the perceived lack of progress during the Congress’s time.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath concluded his last public meeting in Kishangarh on Thursday, urging voters to support BJP candidate Bhagirath Chaudhary. He said that if BJP wins, Congress’ mafia rule will be bulldozed in Rajasthan as well. Yogi Adityanath highlighted infrastructure development, stating that under the Congress government, only 14 km of roads were built each day in the country. In contrast, under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the current administration is constructing 38 km of highways daily.

Speaking about healthcare, Yogi Adityanath emphasized the disparity between Congress and Modi-led governments. He noted that from 1947 to 2014, the Congress government built only six AIIMS institutions in the country whereas in the nine years of Modi’s leadership, 22 AIIMS have been established, along with medical colleges being established in every district. He also asserted that brutal incidents like the murder of Kanhaiya Lal would not have occurred in Uttar Pradesh because of the robust law and order.

The Chief Minister criticized the Congress, which held power for 60 years but failed to bring about significant development. He contrasted this with the achievements of the last nine years under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, highlighting initiatives such as providing toilets to 12 crore poor people, constructing 4 crore houses for impoverished individuals, ensuring electricity for 3.5 crore poor people, distributing free LPG connections to 9.60 crore families, and offering health insurance cover to 50 crore poor people.