Maintain distance from 'Ram-drohis' who shield terrorists and embrace rioters: Adityanath

The firebrand BJP leader, who has often been accused by the opposition of making statements with communal overtones, alleged that under the previous governments, there were riots before Hindu festivals.

Lucknow:Accusing opposition parties of being against Lord Ram, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that such "Ram-drohis" not only harmed the faith but also disturbed the social fabric, impeded development and threw the state in the "fire of riots" during their rule.

“Those who are not the well-wisher of Lord Ram can never be your well-wisher,” Adityanath said while addressing the members of the Vishwakarma community at a meeting organised by the BJP Backward Classes Front in the run-up to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election.

“Maintaining distance from Ram-drohis (who are anti-Ram), who shield terrorists, embrace rioters, tear the social fabric would be better for your present and also for the bright future of your coming generations,“ he said.

The firebrand BJP leader, who has often been accused by the opposition of making statements with communal overtones, alleged that under the previous governments, there were riots before Hindu festivals.

"The masses were unable to celebrate and would live in fear in the shadow of curfew. And these people (opposition leaders) would shamelessly don skull caps and insult the people of the state," Adityanath said, asserting that all this has stopped under his government.

He alleged that the Congress, SP and BSP were trying to harm Ram Setu, while the BJP protected it.

Had it not been for the sons of Lord Vishwakarma, Nal and Neel, it would not have been possible to build the Ram Setu, which Hindus believe was built for Lord Rama to reach then Lanka to rescue his wife Sita, as depicted in the epic Ramayana.

He was referring to the Sethusamudram shipping canal project controversy where the previous UPA government had contended before the Supreme Court that the Rama Setu bridge is not an "essential" and "integral" part of the Hindu religion.

The chief minister said that when the Congress-led UPA government was formed in 2004, there was a competition between the SP and BSP to extend support to it.

"The SP had given support even without being asked and their intention was to hurt the Hindu faith by placing a gun on the shoulders of the Congress," he alleged.

"These people not only harmed the faith but also disturbed social fabric, harmed development and threw the state in the fire of riots," the BJP leader alleged.

He said the government is moving ahead with the plan to secure the present as well as the future.

“Some people created problems in Kashmir and Article 370, the mother of terrorism, was scrapped under the leadership of PM Modi.

"Some others created hurdles in the path of construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya and opened fire on Ram bhakts, today the BJP governments have started its construction and it is going on in full flow,” he said.

Criticising the previous governments, especially the one led by the Samajwadi Party, Adityanath alleged that their leaders were only concerned about the welfare of their families.

“One family was involved in looting the state from 2012 to 2017. That government was a 'Kalyugi avatar' of the Mahabharata and riots took place in every district and Hindus were harassed,” he said.

Referring to the development works under the BJP rule, the chief minister said that “they are proving to be successful due to the vision of Prime Minister Modi and the blessings of Lord Vishwakarma,” and cited the Kanpur metro project which he said will start by November.

"All this is being achieved through the blessings of the original architect Lord Vishwakarma,” he said.

"Even today, Lord Vishwakarma is worshiped as the god of craftsmen in the whole country, and in UP, Vishwakarma is worshiped through Shram Samman. Work has been done to take forward the traditional craftsmen,” he said.

The meeting was part of 'Social Representative Conferences' organised by the party to reach out to voters of various communities.

PTI